Helio HT-295 accident near Oracle, Arizona, March 10, 1988
On March 10, 1988 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Helio HT-295, registered N68871, was destroyed in an accident near Oracle, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1988 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Oracle, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio HT-295 · all HT-295s on the register
- Registration
- N68871 · no longer on the register · serial 1704
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD COMPLETED A CATTLE SURVEY AND WAS RETURNING TO THE RANCH AIRSTRIP WHEN HE ADDED POWER TO CLIMB BACK TO PATTERN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE ADDED THROTTLE HE HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE ENGINE POWER OUTPUT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE AND WAS ABLE TO RESTORE LIMITED POWER; HOWEVER, THE POWER LEVEL WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO THE GROUND, TRAVELING UPSLOPE ON A HILL, AND HIT SEVERAL SMALL TREES WHICH SHEARED OFF THE LEFT LANDING GEAR. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT ALL ENGINE ACCESSORIES WERE DESTROYED AND COULD NOT BE FUNCTIONALLY TESTED. NO INTERNAL ABNORMALITY WAS NOTED ON THE ENGINE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 848 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 572 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,081 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1987; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-GA16 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Willow Springs Ranch
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Oracle AZ at 6:20 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX88LA123.