Aerospatiale 350 B1 accident near Walton, Oregon, August 29, 1991
On August 29, 1991 at about 6:59 am local time, a Aerospatiale 350 B1 (helicopter), registered N64SF, was destroyed in an accident near Walton, Oregon. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1991 · about 6:59 am local time
- Place
- Walton, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale 350 B1
- Registration
- N64SF · registry record · serial 2148
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING IN REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, ON A DARK NIGHT, WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE AND PATCHY CLOUDS, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A MOUNTAIN. THE WRECKAGE SCATTERED ON A HEADING OPPOSITE THE FLIGHTS DESTINATION. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRSH FIRE AND THERE WERE NO NOTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,277 hours in all; 1,575 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 4,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Bohemia INC.
The flight
- Destination: EUG Eugene OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N64SF 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.