Hiller UH-12E accident near Eltopia, Washington, July 7, 1998
On July 7, 1998 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N5360V, was destroyed in an accident near Eltopia, Washington. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue of the control rotor blade spar and failure of the maintenance inspector to follow the procedures set forth in the airworthiness directive.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1998 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Eltopia, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N5360V · no longer on the register · serial 2113
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had just taken off to the south. About 30 seconds into the flight, a control paddle departed the helicopter, and control was lost. The helicopter crashed in a cornfield and rolled inverted, after which the pilot exited. Post-crash examination revealed that a flight control rotor blade departed the helicopter. The spar from the blade separated from a fatigue crack, which originated near one of the outboard retention bolt holes and propagated nearly all of the way around the spar on both sides. The NTSB materials laboratory determined that the fatigue cracking initiated from corrosion pitting. FAA Airworthiness Directives in effect at the time of the accident required inspection of the spar tube, cuff, and bolt holes every 100 hours to detect corrosion and cracking in accordance with a Hiller service bulletin. This service bulletin required a visual inspection for corrosion of the inside surface of the cuff and the inner and outer surfaces of the spar tube. This visual inspection was to be followed by a dye-penetrant inspection of the spar and the cuff to detect any cracks. Although logbook entries (of less than four months and 70 hours time in service before the accident) cited compliance with the relevant AD and service bulletin, no evidence was found of dye penetrant residue, zinc chromate primer, or the required sealant material during NTSB materials laboratory testing.
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: 10,134 hours in all; 10,103 in this make and model; 226 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1998; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PSC, 15 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.