HeliHub.com maintains detailed records of helicopter safety issues, and we observe that the report of an accident to an MD500D this week in California is the fifth accident for Red Bluff-based PJ Helicopters in just over three years.  The links to the accident pages in HeliHub are listed, along with links to the relevant NTSB report and the FAA registration records.

Below we have listed each of the five situations:-

02-Sep-14 N516PJ MD Helicopters MD500D Willow, US-California

Pilot Ron Chaplin injured when helicopter came down during low level powerline work (NTSB, FAA)

12-Aug-13 N62PJ MD Helicopters MD500E Burns, US-Oregon

Operating for US Dept of Justice, and with Harney County Deputy Sheriff Chris Nisbet on board, the pilot was involved in a federal, state and county marijuana eradication program. Reported engine failure.  Tail boom chopped, port skid collapsed, helicopter on port side (NTSB, FAA)

27-Nov-12 N163PJ Hughes 500D Sheridan, US-Oregon

Crashed into a truck during a Christmas tree lifting operation, injuring the pilot.  The helicopter was left without blades and tail boom, and heavily damaged in the cabin area. (NTSB, FAA)

27-Oct-11 N61PJ MD Helicopters MD500D Colusa, US-California

During powerline maintenance flight,  pilot made emergency field landing.  Skids broken, tail boom sliced, main blades ripped off.  Pilot to hospital (NTSB, FAA)

01-Sep-11 N205PJ Bell UH-1H French Camp, US-California

Landed hard on uneven terrain and rolled onto its left side (NTSB, FAA)