Hiller UH-12C accident near New Smyrna Bch, Florida, December 21, 1992
On December 21, 1992 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12C (helicopter), registered N38767, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Smyrna Bch, Florida (New Smyrna Beach Muni 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
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER APPLICATION OF CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1992 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Bch, Florida · New Smyrna Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12C · all UH-12Cs on the register
- Registration
- N38767 · registry record · serial 1037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS DEMONSTRATING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING TO A COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. THE CFI INITIATED THE SIMULATED EMERGENCY WHILE ON BASE LEG. AT ABOUT 75 FEET AGL, THE CFI CONDUCTED A DECELERATION AND APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH AT ABOUT 10 FEET AGL, WITHOUT LEVELING THE HELICOPTER WITH THE CYCLIC CONTROL STICK. THE STINGER, AND TAILROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER ALONG WITH THE TAILROTOR GEAR BOX. THE HELICOPTER SLID TO THE RIGHT AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE SKIDS IN THE GRASS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 666 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 418 as pilot in command; 181 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,874 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V4-200-C33 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vintage Props & Jets INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 34J at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N38767 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.