# Accident 20200220000359A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Talkeetna, AK, February 20, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 20, 2020, 02:15 local time
- Place: Talkeetna, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: TL7C
- Location: 63.0489° N, 150.7705° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.0489&lon=-150.7705&mi=10
- Aircraft: N716JL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N716JL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 14,000 total, 400 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC20CA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA023) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200220000359A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATEMENT:

AT APPROXIMATELY 3:20 PM ON FEBRUARY 20TH, PILOT IN COMMAND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED THETALKEETNA AIRPORT (PATK) IN ROBINSON 44 HELICOPTER N716JL TO DROP OFF CARGO AND PICK UP 2 PASSENGERS AT THE SHELDON CHALET HELIPORT (09AA). THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AS AN FAR 135 FLIGHT ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN FILED WITH THE TALKEETNA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. THE PATK WEATHER OBSERVATION AT 3:20PM WAS OBSERVED TO BE SKY OVERCAST 6500FT, 10 MILES VIS, 18F AND WINDS CALM.

FLIGHT PROCEEDED FOLLOWING THE RUTH GLACIER TO THE DON SHELDON AMPHITHEATER IN GOOD VFR CONDITIONS, 8-10 THOUSAND BROKEN, NO VISIBLE PRECIPITATION AND LIGHT WINDS. UPON ENTERING THE AMPHITHEATER LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPED AND DECREASED VIS TO 3 MILES WITH A 1000 FT INDEFINITE CEILING. LANDING AT THE HELIPORT WAS UNEVENTFUL. PASSENGERS WERE BRIEFED AND LOADED WITH MALE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT LEFT SEAT AND FEMALE PASSENGER IN THE LEFT REAR. DURING THIS TIME VISIBILITY REDUCED TO 2 MILES BUT THE ROCKY GATEWAY AREA FOR THE AMPHITHEATER EXIT WAS STILL VISIBLE. AFTER TAKEOFF FORM THE HELIPORT, PILOT PROCEEDED VIA THE MOUNTAIN HOUSE EAST GLACIAL LANDING AREA TO THE ROCKY PEAKS AT THE GATEWAY OF THE RUTH, AND DESCENDED FOR THE EXIT. UPON DESCENT THE HELICOPTER SKIPPED ON THE SNOW SURFACE OF THE GLACIER AIRCRAFT RUNWAY OF THE RUTH GLACIER AT APPROXIMATELY 5500 FEET THEN SETTLED INTO DEEP SNOW AND ROLLED ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE. PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED HELICOPTER UNINJURED. AN HOUR LATER A HELICOPTER PICKED UP AND TRANSPORTED PASSENGERS AND PILOT, RETURNING TO PATK AT 6:30PM.

## 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 ANC20CA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA023), Feb 21, 2020: Robinson R44 (N716JL), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from snow covered terrain during an en route descent in flat light conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

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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