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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2025 · about 3:15 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Fobes Hill, Washington · Harvey Fld · cases near this airport · 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 6, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N703WA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Hiller UH-12 217 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Hiller 242 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls-Royce C20B · as the NTSB recorded it
- Harvey Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,568 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR25LA246.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.