Bell 206B accident near Enterprise, Oregon, August 6, 1988
On August 6, 1988 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N300TW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Enterprise, Oregon. It was a positioning flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1988 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Enterprise, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N300TW · no longer on the register · serial 3090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT ABT 500 FT AGL, THE PLT STATED HE HEARD A 'PING' SOUND FROM THE ENG AND PWR DECREASED TO FLT IDLE. AN AUTOROTATION WAS ATTEMPTED INTO A CLEARED UPSLOPING AREA BUT THE PLT HAD TO PULL 'UP' COLLECTIVE IN ORDER TO CLEAR A FENCE. A HARD LANDING RESULTED, CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO CONTACT THE TAILBOOM. IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE FAILED TO REVEAL THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE SPOOL-DOWN.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,962 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 15,780 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,627 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 26, 1988; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rambling Rotors, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: La Grande OR at 12:40 pm
- Destination: Enterprise OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.