Hiller OH-23C accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, September 11, 1990
On September 11, 1990 at about 2:39 pm local time, a Hiller OH-23C (helicopter), registered N96168, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie County Int'L airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO SEPARATION OF THE PACKING SEAL WHICH SEALS THE DISTRIBUTION ZONE PIPE TO THE INLET MANIFOLD, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1990 · about 2:39 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · St. Lucie County Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller OH-23C · all OH-23Cs on the register
- Registration
- N96168 · no longer on the register · serial 55-4129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI STATED THAT HE WAS TEACHING LOW ROTOR RPM RECOVERY TECHNIQUES DURING CLIMB OUT AFTER TAKEOFF. THE STUDENT WAS TO TAKE THE CONTROLS & RECOVER THE HELICOPTER TO A 4 FT HOVER. AT 30 FT, WITH THE ROTOR RPM AT 2,900, THE STUDENT TOOK CONTROL & OPENED THE THROTTLE BUT PULLED COLLECTIVE. THE ENG RPM DROPPED BELOW 2,500. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS, VERIFIED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS OPENED & LOWERED COLLECTIVE. DURING THE RUN-ON LANDING AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM. EXAM OF THE ENG BY A MECHANIC WITH INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE PACKING SEALS WHICH SEAL THE DISTRIBUTION ZONE PIPE TO THE INLET MANIFOLD, SEPARATED FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,742 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1990; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V4-335-13 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Coastal Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:39 pm from FPR
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 N96168 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 MIA90LA182.