BLACKRIVERFALLS, WI, USA
N48313
HILLER UH-12E
DURING LIFTOFF WITH AN EXTERNAL LOAD HOPPER CONTAINING 450 POUNDS OF FERTILIZER, THE OPERATOR OF THE HELICOPTER REPORTED SOMETHING SNAPPED FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL FROM THE LEFT COLLECTIVE/THROTTLE CONTROL. A SWITCH OF HANDS ON THE CONTROLS WAS MADE, LEFT HAND TO CYCLIC AND RIGHT HAND TO MASTER COLLECTIVE/THROTTLE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND SETTING THE HOPPER DOWN FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE HELICOPTER. THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE HOPPER CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO TILT AND THE MAIN ROTOR TO STRIKE THE GROUND, PULLING THE HELICOPTER APRX 70 FEET BEFORE IT CAME TO REST.
PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO JETTISON THE EXTERNAL LOAD FOLLOWED BY HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THE EXTERNAL LOAD.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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