# Incident 20180721017459I: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4, Kavik, AK, July 21, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 21, 2018, 17:45 local time
- Place: Kavik, AK
- Airport: Kavik River
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ENRA
- Aircraft: N316MH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N316MH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 (registry code 1181455, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-206l-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30P (registry code 54013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c30p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 206L-4
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C30P
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,975 total, 200 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180721017459I

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS MANUEVERING THE HELICOPTER UP A HILL AND INTO A GULLEY TO PICK UP ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS. AS THE PILOT APPROACHED THE GULLY HE ENCOUNTERED SOME CROSSWING AND DOWN DRAFT. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT DECIDED THE LANDING SPOT WAS NO GOOD. AS HE APPLIED POWER AND FORWARD CYCLIC INPUT, THE TOE OF THE SKID OF THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TIP FORWARD. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED FORWARD THE MAIN ROTOR DISK CONTACTED THE GULLEY WALLS CONSISTING OF HARD CLAY AND BRITTLE SHALE ROCK. PILOT WAS NERVOUS THE AIRCRAFT WOULD ROLL OVER IF HE SETTLED DOWN THERE SO HE FLEW TO HIS PREVIOUS LANDING SPOT THAT HE KNEW WAS GOOD.

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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