- Date
- September 24, 2005, 08:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Medford, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N5207CMcDonnell Douglas 369E
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20050924021289A
- Case key
- 62586
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
In-flight collision with terrain during a precautionary landing. Factors include instrument meteorological conditions and pilot disorientation.
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
In a written statement dated September 27, the pilot reported that he elected to make a precautionary landing after seeing an unspecified "flicker on the dash warning lights." He stated that before arriving at the spot he intended to land "fog closed in and I become disoriented and missed the spot."
Factual narrative
On September 24, 2005, about 0845 Pacific daylight time, a Hughes 369E Helicopter, N5207C, sustained substantial damage following an in-flight collision with terrain during a precautionary landing in instrument meteorological conditions approximately 5 miles west of the Medford airport, Medford, Oregon. The helicopter is registered to BTS, LLC, of Ashland, Oregon, and was being operated by Brim Aviation as a visual flight rules (VFR) local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the helicopter, received minor injuries. The flight originated from Medford, approximately 10 minutes prior to the accident. The flight-planned destination was Grants Pass, Oregon. A company VFR flight plan was on file at the time of the accident.
In a written statement dated September 27, the pilot reported that he elected to make a precautionary landing after seeing an unspecified "flicker on the dash warning lights." He stated that before arriving at the spot he intended to land "fog closed in and I become disoriented and missed the spot."
The pilot gave no explanation as to the origin, type, duration or color of the warning light.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5207C
- Reported as
- McDonnell Douglas 369E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0118E
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Brim Aviation, doing business as Same
- Registered owner
- Bts, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MFR · Medford, OR
- Destination
- 3S8 · Grants Pass, OR
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- MFR · Medford-Jackson County
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 4,628 total · 1,513 in this make and model · 150 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.