# Accident 19990317002439A: Snias AS350B2, Girdwood, AK, March 17, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 17, 1999, 10:50 local time - Place: Girdwood, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: ERAA - Location: 60.8993° N, 148.9099° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.8993&lon=-148.9099&mi=10 - Aircraft: N197EH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N197EH-2003-03-06) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (registry code 8680950, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B2 - Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL1D - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 8,520 total, 3,340 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA036) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990317002439A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ERA HELICOPTERS AIR TAXI (EUROCOPTER AS350 B2 HELICOPTER) CRASHED ON LANDING AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, THE PILOT/SOLE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19)ON MARCH 17, 1999, ABOUT 1050 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A HIGH SKID EQUIPPED EUROCOPTER AS-350-B2 HELICOPTER, N197EH, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING, ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTH OF GIRDWOOD, ALASKA. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE HELICOPTER IS REGISTERED TO, AND OPERATED BY ERA AVIATION, ANCHORAGE ALASKA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND VFR COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE GIRDWOOD AIRPORT ABOUT 0940. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ON MARCH 17, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING UNDER CONTRACT TO CHUGACH POWDER GUIDES TO TRANSPORT SKIERS TO A REMOTE SKI AREA. HE ADDED THAT THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE AREA HAD RECEIVED ABOUT 6 INC HES OF VERY LIGHT, POWDER SNOW. HE STATED THAT JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, HE TRANSPORTED A GROUP OF PHOTOGRAPHERS TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND HE WAS RETURNING TO THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN TO PICK UP THE NEXT GROUP OF SKIERS. HE SAID THAT AS THE HELICOPTER HOVERED TOWARD THE LANDING AREA, HE BECAME DISORIENTED IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS, AND LOST ALL VISUAL REFERENCE DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. HE SAID THAT AS THE HELICOPER DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT SKID STRUCK THE SNOW, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, TAIL BOOM, AND DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS. (.4) THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER WAS BEING UTILIZED TO TRANSPORT SKIERS TO A REMOTE SKI AREA. HE ADDED THAT THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE AREA HAD RECEIVED ABOUT 6 INCHES OF VERY LIGHT, POWDER SNOW. HE STATED THAT JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, HE TRANSPORTED A GROUP OF PHOTOGRAPHERS TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND HE WAS RETURNING TO THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN TO PICK UP THE NEXT GROUP OF SKIERS. HE SAID THAT AS THE HELICOPTER HOVERED TOWARD THE LANDING AREA, HE BECAME DISORIENTED IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS, AND LOST ALL VISUAL REFERENCE DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT SKID STRUCK THE SNOW, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, TAIL BOOM, AND DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC99LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA036), Mar 17, 1999: Eurocopter AS-350-B2 (N197EH), Girdwood, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudged flare while landing. Factors associated with the accident were whiteout conditions, and snow-covered terrain. ## Other reports on N197EH (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20020626016759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020626016759A), Jun 26, 2002: Snias AS350B2 (N197EH), AK, No damage. (-23) While attempting to takeoff up slope from a glacier, the pilot realized too late that the right skid was not breaking free from the icy surface. He… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.