Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frenchglen, Oregon 97736
Thursday, August 21, 1986 10:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ALTHOUGH LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT WITHIN THE GORGE WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MISSION PROFILE THE PILOT ENTERED THE CANYON AND PROCEEDED UPSLOPE TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. 87% OF THE PILOT'S EXTENSIVE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS IN HELICOPTER AIRCRAFT AND HE HAD ACQUIRED AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF ONLY 13 HOURS IN MAKE/MODEL AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLIGHTLY OVER ITS GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS EXISTED. DURING THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO REVERSE DIRECTION AT THE END OF THE GORGE THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND A LOSS OF CONTROL FOLLOWED. A STALL/SPIN MANEUVER RESULTED PLACING THE AIRCRAFT IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FRENCHGLEN
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97736
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 318
Weather Observation Facility ID BNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4144
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 57
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 11500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 951
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31302
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73569
NTSB Number SEA86FA215
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T207A
Aircraft Series Identifier T207A
Aircraft Serial Number 20700603
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 24 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 1235
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FARM DEVELOPMENT CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 575 WEST BANNOCK ST.
Aircraft Owner City BOISE
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name IDAHO HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2471 COMMERCE AVE.
Operator City BOISE
Operator State ID
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 83705
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 26U
Departure City MCDERMITT
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BNO
Destination City BURNS
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --