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| Date: | Wednesday 24 July 2024 |
| Time: | 07:30 |
| Type: |  Hiller UH-12E |
| Owner/operator: | E L Automation Inc |
| Registration: | N3375T |
| MSN: | 5237 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bonners Ferry, ID -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bonners Ferry, ID (private) |
| Bonners Ferry, ID (private) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot of the helicopter reported that with two passengers aboard, he approached a mountain lake to a hover above the water and saw the engine and rotor speed decrease to the green arc of the engine and rotor tachometer. He maneuvered the helicopter to the shore, and with the engine and rotor continuing to droop, he landed on some “substantially sized granite rocks” where the skids became lodged in the rocks. The helicopter then tipped forward and the main rotor blades impacted the rocks, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor and fuselage.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he did not verify the performance capability for an in-ground effect or a hover out of ground effect over water. The Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-21B, states, “When hovering over surfaces as tall grass, trees, bushes, rough terrain, and water, maximum ground effect is reduced.”
Probable Cause: The pilot’s improper selection of a landing site, which resulted in a main rotor strike. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper performance planning and altitude selection over water, which resulted in an rpm droop.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194811
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Jul-2024 17:46 | ASN | Added |
| 14-Aug-2024 18:02 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
| 09-Mar-2025 20:42 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
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