Hiller UH 12E accident near Firebaugh, California, March 29, 2015
On March 29, 2015 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1975 Hiller UH 12E (helicopter), registered N130HA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Firebaugh, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2015 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Firebaugh, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH 12E UNDESIGNAT, built 1975 · all UH 12Es on the register
- Registration
- N130HA · registry record · serial HA3030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that, during the agricultural application flight, the engine started to shake violently. The pilot executed a left turn and positioned the helicopter into the wind, but the helicopter started to descend, and the engine then lost power. The pilot conducted an autorotation, and the helicopter subsequently impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Autorotation Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,655 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,233.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 2,500 hours total
- Operator: Mid-Cal AG Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: Firebaugh CA at 11:45 pm
- Destination: Firebaugh CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:00 pm from MCI7, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N130HA 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.