Aerospatiale SA315B accident near Oakridge, Oregon, July 13, 1988
On July 13, 1988 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA315B (helicopter), registered N3128G, was destroyed in an accident near Oakridge, Oregon. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 13, 1988 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oakridge, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA315B · all SA315Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3128G · no longer on the register · serial 2488
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE SLINGING A LOG THE PILOT ALLOWED THE LOG/SLING LINE TO CONTACT A TREE. THE MOMENTUM OF THE LOG AND HELICOPTER BOWED THE TREE OVER WHEN THE LINE CONTACTED IT. THE PILOT CHOSE TO RELEASE THE LOG FROM THE SLING LINE RATHER THAN DISENGAGE THE ENTIRE LINE AND LOG FROM THE HELICOPTER. ONCE THE LOG SEPARATED, THE LINE CAUGHT IN THE TREE WHICH RETURNED TO AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE AND PULLED THE LINE TIGHT. THE FORCE APPLIED TO THE HELICOPTER AS THE LINE TIGHTENED, IN TURN ROTATED THE HELICOPTER ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS TO A POINT WHEREBY THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED INTO THE TREES AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,915 hours in all; 4,009 in this make and model; 124 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 9,765 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,184 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 12, 1988; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,070 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gradney Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Lowell OR at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.