Hiller UH-12D accident near Near Oakridge, Oregon, February 25, 1983
On February 25, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12D (helicopter), registered N62398, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Oakridge, Oregon. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- February 25, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Near Oakridge, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12D · all UH-12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N62398 · no longer on the register · serial 1005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A 250 LB LOAD ON A 30 FT EXTERNAL LINE HAD BEEN SET DOWN AT A SITE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 3500 FT MSL. AFTER THE LOAD WAS RELEASED, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TRANSITION FROM A HOVER TO A CLIMB, BUT THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SETTLE. ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT FOR THIS SITUATION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE UPHILL SIDE OF THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 180 DEG AT 10, GUSTING 12 KTS; HOWEVER, HE BELIEVED THAT IT HAD CHANGED OR HAD BECOME CALM WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ABOUT 30 MILES AWAY AT EUGENE, OR, THE WIND WAS FROM THE SAME DIRECTION AT 16, GUSTING 25 KTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 4100 FT. THE HELICOPTER WAS WITHIN ITS WT AND BALANCE LIMITS.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 3,650 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 1,418 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,684 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 10, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from EUG, 30 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.