NTSB LAX85LA249 — 1985-05-09 · CASA GRANDE, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N38767

Make / Model: HILLER UH-12C
Engine: FRANKLIN 6V4 SERIES (210 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19830901
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A47895

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N38767 Hiller 12-C None

Factual narrative

THE PLT WAS DEMONSTRATING AUTOROTATIONS TO A TOUCHDOWN ON A DIRT RWY INTO A 5 KT HEADWIND. ON THE FINAL LANDING HE SAID THAT THE TOUCHDOWN FELT THE SAME AS OTHERS HE HAD DONE.SPEED AT TOUCHDOWN WAS 15 MPH AND THE HELICOPTER SLID FORWARD IN A STRAIGHT LINE FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 3 HELICOPTER LENGHTS. AS IT CAME TO A STOP THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FORWARD CROSSOVER TUBE FAILED, THE LEFT SKID COLLAPSED, AND A MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_LAX85LA249.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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