Hiller UH-12E accident near Clewiston, Florida, July 18, 1988
On July 18, 1988 at about 11:30 am local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N108HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clewiston, 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
- July 18, 1988 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Clewiston, 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
- N108HA · no longer on the register · serial HA 3008
- 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 PLT STATED THE FUEL GAGES INDICATED 20 GALS WHEN HE TOOK OFF ON SPRAYING FLT. HE HAD JUST COMPLETED THE SPRAY RUN & STARTED TO PULL UP FROM ABOUT 10 FT & 25 MPH. AT THAT TIME THE ENG QUIT '& SOUNDED JUST LIKE IT WOULD IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS'. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ALT OR AIRSPEED FOR AUTOROTATION & CHOPPER HIT GROUND IN HIGH SINK RATE & PARTIALLY FELL INTO A CANAL. THE PLT STATED IN TEL CONVERSATION WITH NTSB THAT AFTERNOON THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD RUN OUT OF GAS. AT THE SCENE, FAA VISUALLY CHECKED FUEL QUANTITY THROUGH THE FILLER OPENING & THOUGHT TANK TO BE EMPTY. THE NEXT DAY, THE PILOT CALLED FAA & SAID HE DRAINED 2.5 GALS OF FUEL FROM ACFT & THAT HE HAD FOUND A FUEL VENT CLOGGED.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 1,250 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1988; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- 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 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from PBI, 38 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.
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.