Aerospatiale SA-341G accident near Plymouth, Minnesota, July 25, 1984
On July 25, 1984 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA-341G (helicopter), registered N54PC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Minnesota. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1984 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Minnesota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA-341G · all SA-341Gs on the register
- Registration
- N54PC · registry record · serial 1545
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CO-PLT, WHO HAD NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL ACFT, BEGAN A TRANSITION FROM HOVER TO CLIMB AND THE ACFT WENT INTO A RAPID ROTATION. BOTH PLTS WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE ROTATION AND WHEN THE PIC TRIED TO LAND, THE ACFT STRUCK RAISED RIDGESWITH THE LEFT SKID AND ROLLED OVER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,227 hours in all; 306 in this make and model; 181 in the last 90 days; 15,470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,545 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 30, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,970 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ASAZOU III (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FCM Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from MIL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.