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WPR25LA246

2025-08-11 · Fobes Hill, Washington, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport S43

Current FAA registration · N703WA

Make / Model
HILLER UH-12E
Year of manufacture
1963 · 62 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING VO-540 SERIES (310 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780505
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A961A8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s abrupt maneuver to avoid a powerline during an aerial application flight, which resulted in the helicopter’s impact with terrain.

Factual narrative

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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — 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

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_WPR25LA246.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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