Hiller-Soloy 12E accident near Christmas Valle, Oregon, April 23, 1982
On April 23, 1982 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Hiller-Soloy 12E (helicopter), registered N62377, suffered minor damage in an accident near Christmas Valle, Oregon. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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 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
- April 23, 1982 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Christmas Valle, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller-Soloy 12E
- Registration
- N62377 · no longer on the register · serial 1152
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED TO STRING A TRANSMISSION LINE. A ROPE (ATTACH LINE) WAS USED TO CONNECT THE HELICOPTER TO THE TRANSMISSION LINE. THE ROPE BECAME DETACHED AND THE PILOT LANDED TO HAVE IT REATTACHED. A MAN, INVOLVED IN THE GROUND OPERATIONS, APPROACHED THE HELICOPTER WHILE PULLING THE ROPE WIHT HIS RIGHT HAND. THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE EXTENDED UP TO THE TOP OF A 100 FT TOWER WHERE IT WAS CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION LINE. AS THE ROPE WAS PULLED TOWARD THE HELICOPTER THE CENTER PORTION RAISED OFF THE GROUND AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ROPE BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE ROPE ATTACH LINE WAS PULLED THROUGH THE MAN'S HAND AT HIGH SPEED. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED UNTIL 4/26/82 WITH INJURIES TO HIS THUMB AND HAND. ONE ROTOR BLADE RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,305 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,023 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Christmas Valle OR at 9:45 am
- Destination: Christmas Valle OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:58 am from RDM, 56 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.
Other NTSB records under N62377 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.