Hiller UH-12B accident near Slatington, Pennsylvania, August 30, 1997
On August 30, 1997 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12B (helicopter), registered N5303V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Slatington, Pennsylvania (Slatington Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1997 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Slatington, Pennsylvania · Slatington Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12B · all UH-12Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5303V · registry record · serial 571
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was for sale, but was not airworthy, and had not been flown for 6 months. The owner had shown the helicopter to the pilot a week prior to the accident. The owner and the pilot performed a ground run, but the owner would not allow the helicopter to be flown. A week later the pilot flew the helicopter without the owner's permission, and without the owner present. Witnesses reported that the helicopter did not appear to be stable at any time in the repeated attempts at takeoff. On the third attempted lift off, the helicopter became airborne, moved forward, and climbed to an altitude of approximately 5 to 10 feet above the ground. It then moved aft and the tailboom impacted the ground. The helicopter then rolled right, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. During a period of 18 months, repeated attempts to have the pilot provide a statement, or complete and return the required National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form 6120.1/2, were unsuccessful.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 69N at 2:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from ABE, 11 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.
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.