Hiller UH-12E accident near Gretna, Florida, June 1, 1988
On June 1, 1988, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N4029R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gretna, Florida. 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
- June 1, 1988
- Place
- Gretna, Florida · 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
- N4029R · no longer on the register · serial 5103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLT, THE PLT STATED HE MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER TO RELEASE THE REMAINING CHEMICAL. HE THEN HEARD A LOUD 'SCREECHING' NOISE FOLLOWED BY SILENCE AS THE ENG QUIT. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD BREAKING THE SKIDS. IT CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NO. 2 CYLINDER PARTIALLY SEPARATED AND THE NO. 3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD FAILED AT THE SHOULDER NEAR THE CRANKSHAFT JOURNAL DUE TO FATIGUE.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,520 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 175 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,530 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 17, 1988; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 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: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from TLH, 25 miles away
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 N4029R 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.