Hiller UH-12E accident near Lovely, Pennsylvania, August 4, 1988
On August 4, 1988 at about 10:30 am local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N5375V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lovely, Pennsylvania. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UNDETERMINED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE PERFORMING LOW LEVEL AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1988 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Lovely, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N5375V · no longer on the register · serial 2072
- 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 AND THE OBSERVER/PASSENGER WERE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS ALONG A POWERLINE RIGHT-OF-WAY WHEN THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN RIGHT AND CLIMB TO AVOID OBSTACLES, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER WHEN HE ADDED FULL THORTTLE. THE HELICOPTER 'SETTLED AND CRASHED' IN AN AREA OF TALL TREES. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INCLUDED AN ENGINE TEARDOWN, WHICH REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,419 hours in all; 1,735 in this make and model; 171 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 3,090 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,189 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 14, 1988; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Load Site
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 150° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 am from A00, 15 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.
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.