What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Upon learning that his company had an overdue aircraft, Mr. Kunkel got another company pilot and took off from the helicopter pad in Juneau and initiated a search and rescue. The weather had been variable on the ice cap all day. The overdue helicopter had five cruise ship passengers aboard. Mr. Kunkel flew up the west branch of the herbert/mendenhall glacier. He claimed to have good visibility and a ceiling that he described as being a "wedge." There were areas of white-out conditions and areas of bright light. He believed that he was approximately 500' above the ice when he contacted the surface. The helicopter skids impacted and the aircraft rolled right onto its starboard side. He and his passenger climbed out of the helicopter uninjured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) UPON LEARNING THAT HIS COMPANY HAD AN OVERDUE AIRCRAFT, MR. KUNKEL GOT ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT AND TOOK OFF FROM THE HELICOPTER PAD IN JUNEAU AND INITIATED A SEARCH AND RESCUE. THE WEATHER HAD BEEN VARIABLE ON THE ICE CAP ALL DAY. THE OVERDUE HELICOPTER HAD FIVE CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS ABOARD. MR. KUNKEL FLEW UP THE WEST BRANCH OF THE HERBERT/MENDENHALL GLACIER. HE CLAIMED TO HAVE GOOD VISIBILITY AND A CEILING THAT HE DESCRIBED AS BEING A "WEDGE." THERE WERE AREAS OF WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS AND AREAS OF BRIGHT LIGHT. HE BELIEVED THAT HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 500' ABOVE THE ICE WHEN HE CONTACTED THE SURFACE. THE HELICOPTER SKIDS IMPACTED AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED RIGHT ONTO ITS STARBOARD SIDE. HE AND HIS PASSENGER CLIMBED OUT OF THE HELICOPTER UNINJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.