Helio H-391B accident near Hood River, Oregon, November 19, 1983
On November 19, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Helio H-391B, registered N4431U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hood River, Oregon (Hood River airport). It was a personal 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 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time · cases in 1983
- Place
- Hood River, Oregon · Hood River · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio H-391B · all H-391Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4431U · registry record · serial 091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO FAA INSPECTORS, THE PLT MADE A HI SPEED TURNOFF ONTO A TAXIWAY AFTER LANDING & GROUND LOOPED THE ACFT. THE PLT STATED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE FAILED, THE ACFT ROLLED OFF THE RWY INTO MUD & THE PLANE SPUN 270 DEG TO THE LEFT. HOWEVER, THE RIGHT BRAKE WAS EXAMINED, ADEQUATE BRAKE FLUID WAS AVAILABLE & THERE WAS NO VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF FAILURE.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 617 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 555 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-435-C2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DLS The Dalles OR at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 4S2 Hood River OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,040 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Observation at 10:00 pm from DLS, 18 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 N4431U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4431U on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Helio H-391 16 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Helio 120 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming GO-435-C2B 1 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ken Jernstedt Airfield · nearest airport
- Columbia Gorge Rgnl/The Dalles Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,012 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N4431U 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA84LA026.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.