Hiller UH-12-E accident near Los Banos, California, August 9, 1990
On August 9, 1990 at about 4:43 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12-E (helicopter), registered N117HA, was destroyed in an accident near Los Banos, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A LOOKOUT FOR OBSTRUCTIONS ALONG HIS SWATH RUN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1990 · about 4:43 pm local time
- Place
- Los Banos, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12-E · all UH-12-Es on the register
- Registration
- N117HA · no longer on the register · serial HA3017
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A UH12E HILLER HELICOPTER, THAT WAS ENGAGED IN AERIAL APPLICATION OF LIQUID CHIMICALS, COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE RESIDENTIAL SERVICE LINE WHILE MAKING HIS LAST PASS. HE STATED THAT HE FAILED TO SEE A WIRE LEADING TO THE HOUSE DURING HIS INITIAL RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AFTER CONTACTING THE WIRE AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. A POSTCRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT.
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: 17,631 hours in all; 4,300 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 17,441 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,200 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 18, 1990; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°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.
Other NTSB records under N117HA 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.