Summary
On March 14, 1997, a Hiller UH-12E (N545HA) was involved in an accident near Glide, OR. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: Failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from a power transmission line. Factors relating to the accident included ambient light conditions, which made the power line hard to see.
On March 14, 1997, approximately 0900 Pacific standard time, a turbine-powered Hiller UH-12E helicopter, N545HA, impacted an electrical transmission wire during a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight near Glide, Oregon. The airline transport pilot received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which was being operated by Western Helicopter Services, Inc., sustained substantial damage. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had been in the air about ten minutes, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to the pilot, who was spraying coniferous trees, he had finished most of the field of trees and was using up his remaining chemical by adding to areas that may not have received full coverage.
This accident is documented in NTSB report SEA97LA072. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N545HA.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from a power transmission line. Factors relating to the accident included ambient light conditions, which made the power line hard to see.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On March 14, 1997, approximately 0900 Pacific standard time, a turbine-powered Hiller UH-12E helicopter, N545HA, impacted an electrical transmission wire during a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight near Glide, Oregon. The airline transport pilot received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which was being operated by Western Helicopter Services, Inc., sustained substantial damage. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had been in the air about ten minutes, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to the pilot, who was spraying coniferous trees, he had finished most of the field of trees and was using up his remaining chemical by adding to areas that may not have received full coverage. He knew there was a power line running through the center of the field, but he had trouble seeing it in the light conditions caused by the overcast sky. While maneuvering around the filed, he accidentally flew into the wire, resulting in the helicopter's main rotor mast and main rotor blades impacting the wire.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA97LA072