Kaman K-1200 accident near Prineville, Oregon, December 10, 2000
On December 10, 2000 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Kaman K-1200 (helicopter), registered N317KA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prineville, Oregon (Prineville airport). It was a positioning 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2000 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Prineville, Oregon · Prineville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Kaman K-1200
- Registration
- N317KA · registry record · serial 0025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while maneuvering for departure, the helicopter began to drift to the left. While attempting to correct the situation, the helicopter's left main landing gear hit the ground and the strut collapsed. The helicopter subsequently rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom and rotor blades. The 1356 METAR observation at Redmond, Oregon, (11 miles southwest of the accident location) reported winds from 310 degrees at 17 knots gusting to 21 knots. The pilot reported that the winds, at the time of the accident, were from the southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 29 knots. He also reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures that contributed to the accident.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,060 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 8, 2000; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T-53-17A1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Grizzly Mountain Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: S39 at 10:00 pm
- Destination: ONP Newport OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from RDM, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.