Helio H-295 accident near John Day, Oregon, April 21, 1985
On April 21, 1985 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Helio H-295, registered N94747, was substantially damaged in an accident near John Day, Oregon. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 21, 1985 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- John Day, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Helio H-295 · all H-295s on the register
- Registration
- N94747 · no longer on the register · serial 1279
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED AIRFRAME ICING CONDITIONS DURING FLT, & SUBSEQUENTLY, MUSHED INTO TREES ON WOODED TERRAIN. ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 4500 FT. ABOUT 95 MI WEST AT REDMOND, OR, THE WX WAS IN PART: 800 FT OVERCAST, 3 MI VISIBILITY, WIND FROM 140 DEG AT 5 KTS. THE PLT DID NOT POSSESS A FIXED WING RATING.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-G1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 03S Sandy OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from RDM, 95 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.
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.