Enstrom 280C accident near North Plains, Oregon, December 17, 1982
On December 17, 1982 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Enstrom 280C (helicopter), registered N5686Z, was destroyed in an accident near North Plains, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- December 17, 1982 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- North Plains, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C · all 280Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5686Z · registry record · serial 1166
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 0530 PST, THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM HIS HOME AT RIDGE FIELD, WA ON A FLIGHT TO HILLSBORO, OR. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S INSTRUCTOR, THE NORMAL ROUTE USED FOR THIS TRIP WOULD BEEN TO PROCEED ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING TO CORNELIUS PASS, GO THROUGH THE PASS, THEN CONTINUE TO HILLSBORO. THE HELICOPTERCRASHED ABOUT 2.5 MI NORTHWEST OF CORNELIUS PASS. THE 0548 PST HILLSBORO WX WAS 1400 PTLY OBSCD, 3600 OVC, VIS 7 MI, TEMP 45, DEW PT 43, WIND 170 DEG AT 10 GS'TG 30 KTS. THE ELEVATION AT HILLSBORO WAS 204 FT, THE CRASH SITE WAS AT ABOUT 900 FT. THE PILOT'S INSTRUCTOR WAS SEARCHING THE AREA AT 0200. HE STATED THE CRASH SITE WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS, THERE WAS STRONG TURBULENCE, THE WIND WAS GUSTING FROM THE SOUTH AT 30 TO 40 KTS, AND THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE SITE REVEALED THE HELICOPTER HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES ON A STEEP SLOPE WHILE IN A TURN. NO PREIMPACT/ MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE ATTRIBUTED 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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 328 hours in all; 313 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 294 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 645 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Ridgefield WA
- Destination: Hillsboro OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,600 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 am from H10, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.