Hiller UH 12E accident near Gonzales, California, September 7, 1986
On September 7, 1986 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Hiller UH 12E (helicopter), registered N149HA, 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
- September 7, 1986 · about 2:50 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
- N149HA · no longer on the register · serial HA3049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPEREINCED AS THE ACFT DESCENDED INTO A FIELD AT THE BEGINNING OF AN AERIAL APPLICATION SPRAY RUN. THE PLT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING INTO THE FIELD. DURING THE LANDING THE RIGHT SKID DUG INTO THE FIELD, TIPPING THE HELICOPTER ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE ACFTS FUEL TANK. THE ACFT WAS REFUELED WITH 20 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND SPRAY RUN. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTH SPRAY PASS.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,483 hours in all; 389 in the last 90 days; 7,249 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gonzales CA
- Destination: Gonzales CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°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 N149HA 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.