Bell 205-A1 accident near John Day, Oregon, July 6, 1983
On July 6, 1983 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Bell 205-A1 (helicopter), registered N1347N, was substantially damaged in an accident near John Day, Oregon. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- July 6, 1983 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- John Day, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 205-A1 · all 205-A1s on the register
- Registration
- N1347N · no longer on the register · serial 30016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT BEFORE STARTING HIS TAKEOFF, HE HOVERED FOR APRX 20 MIN TO GET THE HELICOPTER'S WEIGHT TO WHERE THE ACFT WOULD HOVER OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. THE TAKEOFF WAS BEGUN WITH A CLIMB SPEED OF 45 KTS; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE PLT STATED THAT AS HE STARTED TO CLIMB. THERE WAS A LOSS OF ROTOR RPM & THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APRX 6500 FT & THE WINDS WERE LIGHT AT 3 KTS.
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: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,314 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,015 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1983; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T5313B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: John Day OR at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°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.