# Accident 20230720008019A: Bell 206-L4, Utqiagvik, AK, July 20, 2023 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 20, 2023, 19:00 local time - Place: Utqiagvik, AK - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: ENRA - Location: 70.6540° N, 158.5598° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=70.6540&lon=-158.5598&mi=10 - Aircraft: N311MH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N311MH) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell 206-L4 (registry code 1182110, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206-l4) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Allison 250-C30P (registry code 03099, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c30p) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 206-L4 - Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C30P - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 4 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 2,032 total, 650 in this make and model, 65 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC23FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23FA056) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230720008019A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. WHILE OPERATING UNDER CONTRACT FOR STATE OF ALASKA WITH THREE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PASSENGERS ON BOARD, A BELL 206L-4 HELICOPTER OPERATED BY MARITIME HELICOPTER, INC. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CRASHED INTO SHALLOW LAKE ITINIK APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES EAST OF WAINWRIGHT VILLAGE. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM UTQIAGVIK ABOUT 1800 HRS. JULY 20, FLEW TO ATQASUK, AND CONTINUED TO AN INTENDED DESTINATION EAST OF WAINWRIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO UTQIAGVIK BY 2030 HRS. NORTH SLOPE BOROUGH SEARCH AND RESCUE (NSBSR) DISPATCHED A SEARCH HELICOPTER WHEN SUBJECT AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE AND FOUND THE PARTIALLY SUBMERGED HELICOPTER IN LAKE ITINIK AT APPROXIMATELY 0315 HRS. ON THE MORNING OF JULY 21. NO SURVIVORS SEEN. ON JULY 23 THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE CONFIRMED DECEASED; ALL REMAINS WERE RECOVERED. A TEAM CONSISTING OF THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INSPECTOR, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS (SME) FROM ROLLS ROYCE ENGINES AND BELL FLIGHT SAFETY AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RECOVERED THE WRECKAGE, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND TRANSPORTED IT TO FACILITIES IN UTQIAGVIK FOR FIELD ANALYSIS. ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT WAS FRAGMENTED WITH EVIDENCE OF FRONT TO REAR CRUSHING CONSISTENT WITH FRONTAL WATER IMPACT, AN ANALYSIS OF THE RECOVERED WRECKAGE, AS REPORTED IN THE NTSB FIELD NOTES, NOTED NO PRE-IMPACT ANOMALIES WITH THE FUSELAGE, TAIL ROTOR COMPONENTS, ELEVATOR FLIGHT CONTROLS, MAIN ROTOR COMPONENTS, FLIGHT CONTROLS, HYDRAULICS, FUEL SYSTEM, MAIN DRIVE SYSTEM, ENGINE OR LANDING GEAR. NO CHIPS WERE OBSERVED, AND LUBRICATION APPEARED PRESENT IN THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX, MAIN TRANSMISSION, ENGINE, AND ENGINE OIL FILTER. THE NOSE, INSTRUMENT PANEL AND PILOT DOOR WERE NOT RECOVERED; ALL CONTROL TUBES, BELL CRANKS, AND PEDALS WERE MISSING FROM THE FORWARD COCKPIT AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A HONEYWELL SKY CONNECT TRACKER SYSTEM BROADCASTING FLIGHT STATUS DATA IN 3-MINUTE INTERVALS. THE WRECKAGE SITE WAS WELL OUT INTO THE LAKE ABOUT 2 MILES FROM THE LAST SHORELINE POSITION BROADCAST REPORTING THE AIRCRAFT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 82 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WITH A 93-KNOT GROUNDSPEED. THE LAKE IS 2-3 NM DIAMETER, THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN IS FLAT FEATURELESS TUNDRA. WEATHER: NEAREST REPORTING AROUND TIME OF ACCIDENT (0304Z) ATQASUK (24 NM EAST OF SITE) - METAR PATQ 210305Z AUTO 22005KT 3 1/2SM HZ CLR 26/14 A2981 WAINWRIGHT (30 NM WEST OF SITE) - METAR PAWI 210340Z AUTO 36011KT 9SM FEW047 BKN060 OVC090 13/11 A2980 METAR PAWI 210253Z AUTO 36010KT 10SM FEW043 BKN055 OVC070 13/11 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP093 T01330106 56013 TSNO 09/05/2023 TOXOLOGY REPORT RECEIVED W/NEGATIVE FINDINGS. ## 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 ANC23FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23FA056), Jul 20, 2023: Bell 206-L4 (N311MH), Wainwright, AK, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude over a large body of water toward featureless terrain, which resulted in a loss of visual clues and 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. --- 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.