What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Transcribed from the NTSB preliminary report.
On March 27, 2021, about 1835 Alaska daylight time, an Airbus helicopters AS350-B3, N351SH, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured, and one passenger was seriously injured. The helicopter was operated as a title 14 code of federal aviation regulations part 135 on-demand charter flight.
Representatives from the operator reported that the helicopter was contracted by a local lodge to transport passengers from a private residence on wasilla lake, wasilla, Alaska, to the chugach mountain range to conduct heli-ski operations.
Data obtained from a handheld global positioning system (GPS) unit showed that the helicopter departed wasilla airport about 1440 and arrived at the wasilla lake residence about 10 minutes later. About 53 minutes later, the helicopter departed the residence and flew toward the chugach mountains. The helicopter arrived at the intended operating area about 19 minutes later and subsequently flew multiple legs from 1612 and 1807.
The GPS data showed that the helicopter departed again at 1827:05 on a northwest heading and climbed to about 5,900 ft mean sea level (MSL).
The data showed that the helicopter?s final movements began about 1833 over a ridgeline at 6,266 ft MSL (about 14 ft AGL), at a groundspeed of 1 kt. The helicopter maintained a low altitude and groundspeed as it maneuvered over the ridgeline for the next few minutes. The data track ceased at 1836:42 near the final resting point of the main wreckage.
A representative from the operator stated that the helicopter was due to return to its base at 2000. Once it had not returned, they initiated their company procedures for an overdue aircraft. The wreckage was located by helicopter about 2130.
An aerial assessment of the accident site by a national transportation safety board investigator the day after the accident revealed that the helicopter impacted terrain about 15 to 20 ft below the top of a ridge line. The total debris field extended about 900 ft downslope from the top of the ridge line.
As the FAA filed it
TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORT.
ON MARCH 27, 2021, ABOUT 1835 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIRBUS HELICOPTERS AS350-B3, N351SH, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR PALMER, ALASKA. THE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED, AND ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS PART 135 ON-DEMAND CHARTER FLIGHT.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS CONTRACTED BY A LOCAL LODGE TO TRANSPORT PASSENGERS FROM A PRIVATE RESIDENCE ON WASILLA LAKE, WASILLA, ALASKA, TO THE CHUGACH MOUNTAIN RANGE TO CONDUCT HELI-SKI OPERATIONS.
DATA OBTAINED FROM A HANDHELD GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNIT SHOWED THAT THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED WASILLA AIRPORT ABOUT 1440 AND ARRIVED AT THE WASILLA LAKE RESIDENCE ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. ABOUT 53 MINUTES LATER, THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED THE RESIDENCE AND FLEW TOWARD THE CHUGACH MOUNTAINS. THE HELICOPTER ARRIVED AT THE INTENDED OPERATING AREA ABOUT 19 MINUTES LATER AND SUBSEQUENTLY FLEW MULTIPLE LEGS FROM 1612 AND 1807.
THE GPS DATA SHOWED THAT THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED AGAIN AT 1827:05 ON A NORTHWEST HEADING AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 5,900 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL).
THE DATA SHOWED THAT THE HELICOPTER?S FINAL MOVEMENTS BEGAN ABOUT 1833 OVER A RIDGELINE AT 6,266 FT MSL (ABOUT 14 FT AGL), AT A GROUNDSPEED OF 1 KT. THE HELICOPTER MAINTAINED A LOW ALTITUDE AND GROUNDSPEED AS IT MANEUVERED OVER THE RIDGELINE FOR THE NEXT FEW MINUTES. THE DATA TRACK CEASED AT 1836:42 NEAR THE FINAL RESTING POINT OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE OPERATOR STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS DUE TO RETURN TO ITS BASE AT 2000. ONCE IT HAD NOT RETURNED, THEY INITIATED THEIR COMPANY PROCEDURES FOR AN OVERDUE AIRCRAFT. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED BY HELICOPTER ABOUT 2130.
AN AERIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ACCIDENT SITE BY A NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 15 TO 20 FT BELOW THE TOP OF A RIDGE LINE. THE TOTAL DEBRIS FIELD EXTENDED ABOUT 900 FT DOWNSLOPE FROM THE TOP OF THE RIDGE LINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N351SH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.