Hiller UH-12E accident near Near Toutle, Washington, April 2, 1982
On April 2, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N9060F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Toutle, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- April 2, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Near Toutle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N9060F · no longer on the register · serial 2039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 1 1/2 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD "BANG" WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A VERTICAL AND LATERAL VIBRATION. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DESCEND, PITCH FORWARD, AND ROLL RIGHT AS THE VIBRATION INCREASED. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING ON A NEARBY SAND BAR. AS THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN ON SLOPING TERRAIN, IT ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE WERE DISASSEMBLED, BUT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CAPS HAD SEPARATED. HOWEVER, THE INVESTIGATOR WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE BLADE CAP SEPARATED BEFORE OR AFTER IMPACT. THE CAP WAS NOT FOUND.
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: 2,092 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,824 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,798 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kid Valley WA at 12:58 pm
- Destination: Kid Valley WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 115°F (46°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:46 pm from TDO, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N9060F 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.