# Accident 19990910046609A: Snias AS350B2, Juneau, AK, September 10, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 10, 1999, 12:00 local time
- Place: Juneau, AK
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HXSA
- Location: 58.5797° N, 134.7705° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.5797&lon=-134.7705&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6007S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6007S-2002-04-17) (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
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99FA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99FA139) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990910046609A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) WHILE CONDUCTING A FAR PART 135 SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, UNUSUAL AND DYNAMIC WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS PROVIDED A DARK OVERCAST SKY AND CREATED A "FLAT LIGHTING" SITUATION IN WHICH THERE WERE NO VISUAL CUES TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE ICE AND SNOW. THIS CONDITION WOULD BE SIMILAR TO "WHITE OUT" WITHOUT ACTUALLY BEING IN A SNOW CLOUD OR SHOWER. PILOT REDUCED SPEED AND WHILE TRANSITIONING THROUGH APPROX. 70 KNOTS THE SKID GEAR CONTACTED THE GLACIER. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ACROSS THE SNOW/ICE FIELD ABOUT 30 METERS AT WHICH POINT THE SKID GEAR SUBMARINED UNDER THE PACKED SNOW CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER, NOSE FIRST, COMING TO REST INVERTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

## 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 ANC99FA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99FA139), Sep 10, 1999: Eurocopter AS-350B-2 (N6007S), Juneau, AK, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and inadequate altitude/clearance. Factors associated with the accident were flat light and whiteout conditions, snow,…

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.

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