# Accident 19990910046619A: Snias AS350B2, Juneau, AK, September 10, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 10, 1999, 14:40 local time
- Place: Juneau, AK
- Airport: Juneau International
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: HXSA
- Location: 58.5792° N, 134.7700° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.5792&lon=-134.7700&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6052C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6052C-2002-06-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL (registry code 8680813, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350-b2-ecureuil) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B2
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA140) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990910046619A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 ANC99LA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA140), Sep 10, 1999: Eurocopter AS-350B-2 (N6052C), Juneau, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance. Factors associated with the accident were flat light conditions, snow-covered terrain, and self-induced pressure to continue the search.

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.