Hiller-Soloy UH-12L4 accident near Clarkston, Washington, June 14, 1994
On June 14, 1994 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Hiller-Soloy UH-12L4 (helicopter), registered N67264, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarkston, Washington. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DISCONNECTION OF THE BALLAST BAR AFT RETAINING PIN. FACTOR(S) WERE: TAIL ROTOR BLADE SEPARATION AND REDUCED AIRCRAFT CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1994 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Clarkston, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller-Soloy UH-12L4
- Registration
- N67264 · no longer on the register · serial 2509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN FLIGHT THE BALLAST BAR AFT RETAINING PIN DISCONNECTED ALLOWING THE BALLAST BAR TO DISENGAGE FROM THE AFT BOLT AND SWING INTO THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED AND A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOLLOWED. THE PILOT, UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FULL CONTROL OF THE ROTORCRAFT, EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO A HARD LANDING.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 26,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 450 in the last 90 days; 200 in the last 30 days; 26,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,846 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1994; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Asotin WA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from LWS, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N67264 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.