Hiller UH-12E accident near Anderson, California, May 19, 1988
On May 19, 1988 at about 1:15 am local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N573HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anderson, California. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- May 19, 1988 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Anderson, 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
- N573HA · no longer on the register · serial 5013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RECEIVING INFORMATION OF EXISTING UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS AND THAT FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE PLANNED REFUELING POINT THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT WITHOUT REFUELING. AS HE DESCENDED ON APPROACHING HIS DESTINATION THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT MADE A HARD AUTOROTATIVE LANDING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,627 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 14, 1988; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CA73 Yuba City CA at 11:23 pm
- Destination: 00R9 Mount Hood OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.