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20010909039309A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Snias AS 350 BA · Skagway, AK · September 9, 2001

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 9, 2001 · 10:53 local
Place
Skagway, AK
Phase of flight
Prw On Run Landing (Rotorcraft
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
HXSA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N60809
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC01LA139
Reported as
Snias AS350BA
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,600 total400 in this make and model240 in the last 90 days
N60809Registration cancelled May 13, 2005 · Eurocopter AS 350 BAS/N 2696 · Built 1992Airframe modelEurocopter AS 350 BAEngine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1SERTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On September 9, 2001, a Eurocopter AS-350 ba helicopter, N60809, sustained substantial damage during landing on the surface of the denver glacier, about 3 miles southeast of Skagway, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) business flight under title 14, CFR part 91. The helicopter is owned and operated by temsco helicopters, inc., ketchikan, Alaska. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The helicopter was being utilized to demobilize a remote tourist camp located at the 4,000 feet level of the denver glacier. The day before the accident, the area had received about 6 inches of very light, powder snow. The accident pilot hovered the helicopter toward the landing area, the pilot became disoriented in whiteout conditions, and lost all visual reference due to blowing snow. As 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.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2001, A EUROCOPTER AS-350 BA HELICOPTER, N60809, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING ON THE SURFACE OF THE DENVER GLACIER, ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SKAGWAY, ALASKA. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) BUSINESS FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91. THE HELICOPTER IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY TEMSCO HELICOPTERS, INC., KETCHIKAN, ALASKA. THE SOLO COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING UTILIZED TO DEMOBILIZE A REMOTE TOURIST CAMP LOCATED AT THE 4,000 FEET LEVEL OF THE DENVER GLACIER. THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE AREA HAD RECEIVED ABOUT 6 INCHES OF VERY LIGHT, POWDER SNOW. THE ACCIDENT PILOT HOVERED THE HELICOPTER TOWARD THE LANDING AREA, THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS, AND LOST ALL VISUAL REFERENCE DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. AS 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.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC01LA139Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSkagway, AKThe pilot's misjudged flare while landing. Factors associated with the accident were whiteout conditions, and snow-covered terrain.Sep 9, 2001 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N60809 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19930707038269IPwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft · Skagway, AKAircraft contacted top of a tree with horizontal stablizer on approach to land. Landed safely.Jul 7, 1993 · Minor damage