# Accident 20190218010359A: Eurocopter France AS350B2, Glacier View, AK, February 18, 2019 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 18, 2019, 15:55 local time - Place: Glacier View, AK - Airport: Sheep Mountain - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: 7RVA - Location: 61.7742° N, 147.1233° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7742&lon=-147.1233&mi=10 - Aircraft: N350ST, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N350ST-2020-02-28) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Eurocopter France AS350B2 (registry code 8680973, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-france-as350b2) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Honeywell LTS101-700D-2 (registry code 33825, https://openairdocs.org/engine/honeywell-lts101-700d-2) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER FRANCE AS350B2 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 2,250 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA139) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190218010359A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AS-350 WAS CONDUCTING HELISKI OPERATIONS AND UNLOADING SKIERS DURING TOE-IN MANEUVER ON ~20 DEGREE SLOPE AT APPROX. 5500 FOOT LEVEL. SLOPE WAS DIRECT LIGHTED BY SUN AND WINDS WERE OUT OF NORTH AT ~20 KNOTS. FACE OF SLOPE WAS ENE. THIS WAS THIRD LANDING AT THIS SITE AND TWO OF THE FOUR SKIERS WERE OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT WHEN A FLAT PIECE OF LOOSE SHALE APPROXIMATELY 2 INCH IN DIAMETER FLEW INTO ROTOR SYSTEM FROM RIGHT SIDE. PILOT FELT SLIGHT BUMP BUT HAD NO INDICATIONS OR VIBRATION. PILOT STOPPED UNLOADING AND REPOSITIONED UPSLOPE ABOT 30 FEET TO AVOID ADDITIONAL ROCK INGESTION. WHEN UNLOADING LAST TWO SKIERS, PILOT INFORMED THEM THAT HE WAS GOINT TO REPOSITION TO THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN ON GLACIER TO SHUTDOWN AND LOOK AT BLADES BEFORE HE PICKED THEM UP. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM SECOND SLOPE, PILOT BEGAN NORMAL DESCENT TO FLY TO VALLEY FLOOR. AFTER ~30 SECS, AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED VERY SLIGHT 1:1 VIBRATION BUT WAS NOT ABNORMAL. AFTER ANOTHER 15 SECONDS OF FLIGHT, THE VIBRATION DRASTICALLY INCREASED WHILE AIRCRAFT WAS AT ~1000 FOOT AGL AND FLYING AWAY FROM THE HILLSIDE. PILOT IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK TOWARD THE HILLSIDE AND BEGAN SEARCH FOR LANDING AREA. ABOUT THE TIME HE GOT AIMED AT THE HILL, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT BUCK PITCH UP INDICITIVE OF HYDRAULIC FAILURE. AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT AND CONTROLS WERE SHAKING SO BADLY THAT AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS MINIMAL AND IT WAS HARD TO FOCUS OUTSIDE. AFTER CONTROLS BEGAN TO LOCK UP, PILOT POINTED AIRCRAFT AT LIGHTEST COLORED TERRAIN (MOST SNOW, LEAST TREES) AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED HARD AND ROLLED TO ITS RIGHT SIDE AND CAME TO REST WITH SEVERED TAILBOOM APPROX 1/2 MILE FROM INITIAL TOE-IN SITE. NO INJURIES EXPERIENCED, ELT NOT ACTIVATED, SPOT MESSAGE SENT WITH LAT LONG, AND RECOVERY COMPLETED. AS OF 02 APRIL 2019, AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN RECOVERED FROM ACCIDENT SITE. AFTER INITIAL ADVICE FROM FLM TO WAIT FOR A/C RECOVERY TO ALLOW WRECKAGE EXAMINATION, DECISION MADE TO CLOSE THIS ACTION WITH AIRMAN COUNSELING IAW COMPLIANCE PROGRAM, PTRS 201901839. IF ANY SUBSEQUENT DATA RECOVERED DURING WRECKAGE EXAMINATION, PERTINENT INFORMATION WILL BE ADDED TO THIS REPORT. ## 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 GAA19CA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA139), Feb 18, 2019: Airbus A350 (N350ST), Eureka, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing on snow-covered mountainous terrain with steep rocks above, which resulted in loose rocks damaging the main rotor blades and the subsequent… 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.