Hiller-Soloy UH-12D accident near Sublimity, Oregon, December 7, 1993
On December 7, 1993 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Hiller-Soloy UH-12D (helicopter), registered N2297W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sublimity, 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND REFUELING NOT ACOMPLISHED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1993 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Sublimity, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller-Soloy UH-12D
- Registration
- N2297W · no longer on the register · serial 1206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SHUT DOWN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS FOR SERVICING THE AIRCRAFT. WHILE HE WAS GREASING THE AIRCRAFT, HE THOUGHT THAT THE GROUND SERVICE PERSONNEL HAD REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT. HE REINITIATED OPERATIONS AND THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT 36 MINUTES LATER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FLAMEOUT WAS FUEL EXHAUSTION. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE PIC MUST PERFORM ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT TO INCLUDE ASSURANCE THAT AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REFUELED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,400 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 131 in the last 90 days; 127 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 386 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,835 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 26, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Industrial Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N2297W 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.