Mcdonnell Douglas 369E accident near Medford, Oregon, September 24, 2005
On September 24, 2005 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369E (helicopter), registered N5207C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, Oregon (Medford-Jackson County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
In-flight collision with terrain during a precautionary landing. Factors include instrument meteorological conditions and pilot disorientation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2005 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Medford, Oregon · Medford-Jackson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369E
- Registration
- N5207C · no longer on the register · serial 0118E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,628 hours in all; 1,513 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brim Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MFR Medford OR
- Destination: 3S8 Grants Pass OR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.