- Date
- August 14, 1994, 00:00 local (04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Houghton, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N20SDHughes TH-55A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report June 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940814021319A
- Case key
- 9638
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
A helicopter laying on its side was found by the manager of the Houghton lake state airport when he opened for business. The owner of the helicopter reported the helicopter was stolen during the night. Several weeks later the police arrested a female who admitted she stole the helicopter to help her boyfriend escape from prison. She had a student helicopter certificate and about 10 hours instruction. She said the helicopter crashed and rolled over while she was trying to land in high winds.
Factual narrative
On August 14, 1994, at a time unknown, a Hughes TH-55A, N20SD, owned by Milligan & Langham Timber, Co., Lansing, Michigan, was substantially damaged at the Houghton Lake State Airport, Houghton Lake, Michigan. The helicopter was stolen from a locked hangar at the Abrams Municipal Airport, Grand Ledge, Michigan, earlier that morning. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area.
The helicopter was found by the airport manager when he opened the airport at 0700. The helicopter contained contraband including an assault rifle, smoke bombs, and a gas grenade.
On September 2, 1994, a woman was arrested by the Clinton County Sheriff's Department, St. Johns, Michigan. She admitted to stealing the helicopter to help her boyfriend escape from prison. She stated she crashed the helicopter trying to land in strong winds. The pilot held a private pilot certificate which she obtained on July 9, 1994. She held a student helicopter certificate and had accrued about 10 hours instructional time in helicopters when the mishap occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20SD
- Reported as
- Hughes TH-55A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 66-05937
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Jesse Jane Stafford
- Registered owner
- Milligan & Langham Timber Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 4D0 · Grand Ledge, MI
- Destination
- Unknown
- Airport
- 5Y2 · Houghton Lake State Airpo
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificates
- Student, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 75 total · 10 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Wind
- 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.