Hiller 12E accident near Huron, California, October 16, 1989
On October 16, 1989 at about 10:30 am local time, a Hiller 12E (helicopter), registered N4026G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huron, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY PREFLIGHT THE AIRPLANE BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND MISJUDGED THE FLARE DURING THE ENSUING AUTOROTATION. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE OIL STARVATION AND TOTAL FAILURE OF THE CONNECTING ROD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1989 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Huron, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller 12E
- 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 PILOT COMPLETED AN AERIAL SPRAYING FLIGHT, LANDED AND PICKED UP HIS FLAGMAN TO TRANSPORT HIM TO ANOTHER FIELD. WHILE ENROUTE TO THE FIELD AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. DURING THE ENSUING AUTOROTATION THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE FLARE ALTITUDE AND SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 3 CONNECTING ROD FAILED DUE TO OIL STARVATION.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,219 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 8, 1989; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 am from NLC, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.