Hiller UH-12E accident near Fobes Hill, Washington, August 11, 2025
On August 11, 2025 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 1963 Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N703WA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Fobes Hill, Washington (Harvey Fld airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s abrupt maneuver to avoid a powerline during an aerial application flight, which resulted in the helicopter’s impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2025 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fobes Hill, Washington · Harvey Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E, built 1963 · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N703WA · registry record · serial 2276
- 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 pilot reported that he was conducting an aerial application flight in a field that was crossed by three sets of powerlines. The pilot had previously flown the helicopter under the powerlines, but as the helicopter once again approached them, the pilot perceived they were too low to fly under. The pilot began a hard turn to the right to avoid the wires, and the helicopter “lost lift due to excessive turn and bank.” As a result, the spray boom and main rotor contacted the ground, and the helicopter subsequently rolled over, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded 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
- Abrupt maneuver during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,784 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 14, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce C20B (turboshaft); 5,408 hours total
- Operator: Anthony Ghidossi Chemical LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 am from KPAE, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPAE 111453Z 34007KT 10SM CLR 20/15 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP181 T02000150 52005
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR25LA246.