Hiller UH-12E accident near Gonzales, California, July 5, 1985
On July 5, 1985 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N161HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gonzales, 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
- July 5, 1985 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gonzales, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N161HA · no longer on the register · serial HA-3061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING DURING AN AG FLIGHT THE ACFT'S ENG BEGAN LOSING PWR. AT THE TIME THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 50 FT AGL & WAS TRAVELLING AT 50 MPH. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LDG ONTO A NEARBY PLOWED FLD. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE RT SKID DUG INTO A FURROW & THE ACFT ROLLED OVER. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT AN AIR LEAK HAD DEVELOPED AT THE FUEL FEED LINE INLET TO THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP. THE CONNECTOR INLET BUSHING BEING USED WAS NOT FOUND TO BE OF 'ACFT QUALITY,' & ITS CONDITION WAS OBSERVED TO BE RUSTED, PUTTED & ROUGH. THE INDIVIDUAL(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR ORIGINALLY PLACING THE UNAUTHORIZED PART IN SERVICE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gonzales CA at 2:10 pm
- Destination: Salinas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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 N161HA 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.