- Date
- August 21, 1986, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Frenchglen, OR
- Injuries
- 6 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N73569Cessna T207A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 40297
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73569
- Reported as
- Cessna T207A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20700603
- Airframe hours
- 1,235
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-M, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Idaho Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Farm Development Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 24, 1986 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- 26U · Mcdermitt, OR
- Destination
- BNO · Burns, OR
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
- 55
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 14,106 total · 13 in this make and model · 13,871 as pilot in command · 158 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BNO, 57 nm away