Hiller UH-12E accident near Leavenworth, Washington, August 10, 1988
On August 10, 1988 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N62404, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leavenworth, Washington. It was an instructional 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1988 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Leavenworth, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N62404 · registry record · serial 1033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC REPORTED THAT DURING A PRACTICE HELICOPTER AUTOROTATION TO A POWER RECOVERY, THE PILOT UNDER INSTRUCTION HELD THE FLARE TOO LONG. THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL GUARD AND TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SPIN. THE PIC REDUCED THE THROTTLE AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND. THE PIC REPORTED THAT HE HAD GLANCED AT THE INSTRUMENTSAND WHEN HE LOOKED UP HE REALIZED THE ATTITUDE WAS TOO NOSE HIGH. HE ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT TOO LATE TO PREVENT THE IMPACT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,800 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 3 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,344 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 22, 1988; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N62404 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA88LA150.