Hiller UH12E accident near Los Banos, California, October 10, 1983
On October 10, 1983 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH12E (helicopter), registered N4026G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Banos, 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1983 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Los Banos, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH12E · all UH12Es on the register
- Registration
- N4026G · no longer on the register · serial 5049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOADED THE HELICOPTER & STARTED A SPRAYING OPERATION. HE STATED THAT AS HE PULLED THE HELICOPTER UP FROM THE 1ST SPRAY RUN, IT STARTED SHAKING & WENT PARTIALLY OUT OF CONTROL. HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN ENOUGH CONTROL TO GET THE HELICOPTER IN LEVEL FLT BEFORE IT STRUCK THE GROUND & WAS DAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND WHICH WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 3,290 hours in all; 1,520 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,177 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 25, 1983; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming U0540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Los Banos CA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Los Banos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4026G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.