Hiller UH-12B accident near Fall River, Kansas, April 7, 1986
On April 7, 1986 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12B (helicopter), registered N5307V, was destroyed in an accident near Fall River, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 7, 1986 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fall River, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12B · all UH-12Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5307V · no longer on the register · serial 659
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER FLEW THROUGH THE TOPS OF TREES NEXT TO A PLOWED FIELD AND IMPACTED ALMOST STRAIGHT DOWN IN THE PLOWED FIELD AND NOSED OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD INTENDED TO LAND IN THE FIELD AND ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED AND MAIN ROTOR RPM TO DECREASE DURING THE DESCENT. AFTER HE SAW THE TREES, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RECOVER.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 49 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,196 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1983; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin O-335-5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from CNU, 28 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 N5307V 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.