Hiller 12C accident near Lehighton, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1986
On June 29, 1986 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Hiller 12C (helicopter), registered N1042C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lehighton, Pennsylvania. 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 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
- June 29, 1986 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lehighton, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller 12C
- Registration
- N1042C · registry record · serial 846
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE HILLER 12C REPORTED AN OVERHEATED ENGINE FOLLOWED BY AN ENGINE FAILURE. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE MAIN ROTOR FLEXED AND CUT THE TAIL BOOM OFF THE THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED. 10 OZ. OF A LIQUID WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. 7 OZ. WAS FUEL AND 3 OZ. WAS WATER. THE REPORTED ENGINE OVERHEAT AND ENGINE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THE ENGINE RAN SATISFACTORLY. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED IN THE ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED IN DAYLIGHT. THE PLT/OWNER HAD HABIT OF NOT REFUELING AFT FLTS THUS LEAVING TKS LESS THAN FULL AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER CONDESATION.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1985; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-335-B1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.