Hiller UH-12C accident near Porterville, California, September 6, 1995
On September 6, 1995 at about 4:06 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12C (helicopter), registered N1348Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Porterville, California (Porterville Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight; the dual student's improper use of the flight controls; and improper remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1995 · about 4:06 pm local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · Porterville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12C · all UH-12Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1348Z · registry record · serial 1042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DUAL STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER AND INADVERTENTLY APPLIED AFT CYCLIC. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO MOVE REARWARD AND THE DUAL STUDENT ABRUPTLY RAISED THE COLLECTIVE TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION. THE HELICOPTER CLIMBED TO 18 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THE MAIN ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY. THE CFI ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE CFI THEN EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT DUE TO THE DECAYING MAIN ROTOR RPM SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING. THE HELICOPTER DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OF FAILURES.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 626 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 574 as pilot in command; 159 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,592 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1995; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V350B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTV at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N1348Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX95LA326.