Hiller UH-12E accident near Moore Haven, Florida, November 26, 1993
On November 26, 1993 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N130HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moore Haven, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1993 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Moore Haven, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N130HA · registry record · serial HA3030
- 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 PILOT STATED THAT WHILE FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5 FEET AGL, SPRAYING CROPS, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP AND THEN DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE INDICATED THE ENGINE ROTATED NORMALLY AND EACH MAGNETO PRODUCED NORMAL SPARK. ALL FUEL LINES AND SCREENS WERE FREE OF DEBRIS. FIVE GALLONS OF UNCONTAMINATED FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM. CONTINUITY OF ALL FLIGHT CONTROL AND ENGINE CONTROLS WERE CONFIRMED.
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: 12,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,793 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- 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 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded at 600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from FMY, 46 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 N130HA 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 MIA94LA029.