Aerospatiale SE 318C accident near Siletz, Oregon, March 7, 1986
On March 7, 1986 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SE 318C (helicopter), registered N4966, was destroyed in an accident near Siletz, Oregon. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person was 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
- March 7, 1986 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Siletz, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SE 318C
- Registration
- N4966 · no longer on the register · serial 2227
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO LIFT A 1597 LB LOAD OF CEDAR BLOCKS WHICH WOULD HAVE PLACED THE HELICOPTER APRX 880 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WEIGHT WITH AN EXTERNAL LOAD. THE PLT WAS SETTING THE LOAD DOWN FOR GROUND PERSONNEL TO UNLOAD SOME OF THE BLOCKS WHEN A LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT WITH THE EXTERNAL LOAD LINE STILL ATTACHED. INSPECTION REVEALED THE ENG SUSTAINED A COMPRESSOR STALL AND THE TURBINE SECTION OF THE ENG HAD BEEN BURNED.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,725 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 6, 1986; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Astazou IIG (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.
Other NTSB records under N4966 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.