Hiller UH-12C accident near Sarasota, Florida, May 20, 1993
On May 20, 1993 at about 8:18 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12C (helicopter), registered N46937, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida. It was a personal 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 THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING, RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH WIRES AND TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM (CARBURETOR) BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, RESULTING IN A CONTAMINATED CARBURETOR AND A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1993 · about 8:18 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · 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
- N46937 · no longer on the register · serial 862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT ABOUT 400 FEET AGL WHEN HE OBSERVED A SUDDEN DROP IN ENGINE RPM FOLLOWED BY AN INCREASE IN RPM. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING BY ENTERING AN AUTOROTATION. DURING THE DECELERATION THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND CRASHED. REVIEW OF THE HELICOPTER LOGBOOKS REVEALED THE CARBURETOR FLOAT ASSEMBLY HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED, AND NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETIN PROCEDURES PERTAINING TO THE MA 4-5 CARBURETOR HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. DISASSEMBLY INSPECTION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THE CARBURETOR WAS CONTAMINATED. SAND WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL, THE FUEL INLET ASSEMBLY WAS DIRTY AND THE PUMP PLUNGER ASSEMBLY WAS RUSTY.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,068 hours in all; 158 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,099 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,308 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 10, 1993; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V335 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 8:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 pm from SRQ, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N46937 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.