Mbb BO-105S accident near Clearwater, Oregon, January 6, 1994
On January 6, 1994 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Mbb BO-105S (helicopter), registered N204PC, was destroyed in an accident near Clearwater, Oregon. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WIRES. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WIRES AND SUNGLARE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1994 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb BO-105S
- Registration
- N204PC · registry record · serial S783
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE HELICOPTER IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION AT 50 FEET AGL WHILE FOLLOWING A CANAL ON AN AERIAL SURVEY OF WILDLIFE. AS HE ADJUSTED HIS FLIGHTPATH TO A WESTERLY HEADING HIS VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY THE AFTERNOON SUN. THE PILOT OBSERVED POWER LINES IN HIS FLIGHT PATH AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN AND DECELERATE TO AVOID CONTACT. THE MANEUVER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADE(S) CONTACTED THE WIRES. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO A FOREBAY (SMALL POND). THE SUN'S POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATLEY +16 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON AND 216 DEGREES TRUE AZIMUTH.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,001 hours in all; 146 in this make and model; 192 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 7,223 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,035 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 7, 1993; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,512 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pacificorp Trans, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RBG Roseburg OR at 8:50 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from RBG, 45 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA94LA047.