Hiller UH-12E accident near Lakeside, Oregon, November 5, 1984
On November 5, 1984 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N123ET, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeside, Oregon. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 1984 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeside, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N123ET · registry record · serial HA3023
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES DURING A TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE LOGGING CAMP. THE PLT REPORTED HEARING A LOUD BANG DURING TAKEOFF. HE SAID THAT THE ACFT PITCHED RIGHT AND NOSED DOWN. 'THE ACFT SPUN TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT POWER. THE ACFT CAME TO REST INVERTED.' AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE BY FAA SHOWED SEVERAL AREAS WHERE COPPER WIRE WAS IMBEDDED IN A ROTOR BLADE AND A LANDING SKID. THE TAIL BOOM WAS ALSO MARKED BY WHAT APPEARED TO BE WIRE STRIKES. THE PLT REPORTED NO POWER LOSS OR MALFUNCTION. WITNESSES AT THE SITE SAID SEVERAL POWER LINES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE HAD BEEN SEVERED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,690 hours in all; 6,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from OTH, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA85LA014.