N172ET

On March 12, 1995, at 1430 hours Pacific standard time, a Hiller UH-12E helicopter, N172ET, crashed in an open field near Five Points, California, during an aerial application conducted under 14 CFR Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. The flight originated from the Five Points area about 1 hour before the accident occurred.

In the Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot indicated that while spraying the field "the engine started to lose power". As he began to flare, the power came back. At an altitude of 10-15 feet agl, the pilot initiated a turn to the south toward a dirt road to land. At 50 yards from the intended landing site, the engine stopped. He flared to zero out the airspeed, and pulled pitch to cushion the landing. The helicopter landed hard and rolled over which resulted in damage to the main rotor blades, the tail boom, the tail rotor gear box, the spray boom, and the chin bubble.

According to an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot stated that the aircraft ran out of fuel. There were no reported mechanical problems with the helicopter.