Hiller UH-12E accident near Raymond, Washington, November 29, 1989
On November 29, 1989 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N9762C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Raymond, Washington. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE IMPELLER. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF A ROLL-OVER ON UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 1989 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Raymond, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N9762C · registry record · serial 2159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, WHILE HAULING A LOAD UPHILL TO THE LANDING ZONE, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT RELEASED THE LOAD AND AUTOROTATED TO A LANDING ON INCLINED TERRAIN. WHILE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. DURING AN ENGINE TEARDOWN, A SECTION OF THE IMPELLER WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED FROM FATIGUE, WHICH RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND A LOSS OF POWER.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,293 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,475 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,066 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 18, 1989; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Raymond WA at 11:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N9762C 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 SEA90LA025.