Hiller UH 12-E accident near Five Points, California, September 22, 2005
On September 22, 2005 at about 5:00 am local time, a Hiller UH 12-E (helicopter), registered N141HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Five Points, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to refuel the helicopter, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2005 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Five Points, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH 12-E · all UH 12-Es on the register
- Registration
- N141HA · no longer on the register · serial HA 3041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
All engine power was lost while the pilot was maneuvering at a low altitude during an aerial application flight. The pilot made a hard forced landing in an open field and bounced. Thereafter, the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. The accident occurred during the third aerial application flight. For the first flight he had refueled with 25 gallons of fuel, and the helicopter was carrying a full load of insecticide. On the second flight he took on only insecticide. On the third (accident flight), he again only took on insecticide. The pilot reported that his normal procedure is to refuel on the second flight, which he did not do. He reported that with 25 gallons of fuel on board he could fly about 20 minutes with a 10-minute reserve. The pilot acknowledged that he should have refueled after the second application, but failed to do so and experienced fuel exhaustion. No mechanical anomalies were reported with the helicopter.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Huron AG Helicopter Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Five Points CA
- Destination: Five Points CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 315° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.