Enstrom 280C accident near The Dalles, Oregon, June 14, 1995
On June 14, 1995 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Enstrom 280C (helicopter), registered N51657, was substantially damaged in an accident near The Dalles, Oregon. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO ONE SET OF IGNITION POINTS BECOMING LOOSE DURING FLIGHT. FACTORS INCLUDED THE LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT AND MANEUVERING REQUIRED TO CONDUCT THE OPERATION AND THE RESULTING LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1995 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- The Dalles, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom 280C · all 280Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51657 · no longer on the register · serial 1097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS BLOWING CHERRY TREES DRY WITH ROTOR DOWNWASH FROM AN ALTITUDE ABOUT 5 TO 8 FEET ABOVE THE TREETOPS. DURING THE FLIGHT, ONE SET OF POINTS IN THE ENGINE'S DUAL-POINT MAGNETO BECAME LOOSE AND STOPPED OPERATING. THE ENGINE SUFFERED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO THE RESULTING LOSS OF IGNITION FROM THIS SET OF POINTS. DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT AND MANEUVERING REQUIRED FOR THE OPERATION, SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO AVOID A FORCED LANDING IN THE CHERRY ORCHARD.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 427 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 370 as pilot in command; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,103 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 25, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-E1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from DLS, 5 miles away
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.