What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot (sitting in the right seat) reported that he was flying a communications technician from Unalaska to the fort glenn ranch on umnak island. The pilot departed from Unalaska and while flying over the water between Unalaska and umnak island, he observed a wall of snow. The pilot turned around to head back to Unalaska and while in a valley, he observed a snow squall. He landed the helicopter and waited out the snow squall. After the snow squall abated, he departed to continue the flight back to Unalaska. While enroute, another snow squall appeared and the pilot attempted to land again to wait out the snow squall. During the landing, there were white out conditions and the main rotor system impacted terrain. The helicopter then rolled on its left side. Both occupants egressed and were later rescued by a USCG helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT (SITTING IN THE RIGHT SEAT) REPORTED THAT HE WAS FLYING A COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIAN FROM UNALASKA TO THE FORT GLENN RANCH ON UMNAK ISLAND. THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM UNALASKA AND WHILE FLYING OVER THE WATER BETWEEN UNALASKA AND UMNAK ISLAND, HE OBSERVED A WALL OF SNOW. THE PILOT TURNED AROUND TO HEAD BACK TO UNALASKA AND WHILE IN A VALLEY, HE OBSERVED A SNOW SQUALL. HE LANDED THE HELICOPTER AND WAITED OUT THE SNOW SQUALL. AFTER THE SNOW SQUALL ABATED, HE DEPARTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT BACK TO UNALASKA. WHILE ENROUTE, ANOTHER SNOW SQUALL APPEARED AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AGAIN TO WAIT OUT THE SNOW SQUALL. DURING THE LANDING, THERE WERE WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AND THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM IMPACTED TERRAIN. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE. BOTH OCCUPANTS EGRESSED AND WERE LATER RESCUED BY A USCG HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.