# NTSB ANC05LA010: Eurocopter France AS-350B2, N166EH, Ketchikan, AK, October 12, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 12, 2004, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Ketchikan, AK - Coordinates: 55.25, -131.300003 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.2500&lon=-131.3000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA, Juneau Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 60575 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60575/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05LA010 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an object while landing, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking a tree. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - object - tree(s) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The airline transport certificated air taxi helicopter pilot was taking a passenger to a remote landing site. During the landing approach, the helicopter's main rotor blades inadvertently struck a tree. The helicopter landed without further mishap, but inspection of the main rotor blades disclosed that the blades were damaged beyond repair. ## Factual narrative On October 12, 2004, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a skid-equipped Eurocopter AS-350B2 helicopter, N166EH, operated by Era Aviation, Inc., as an on-demand Title 14, CFR Part 135 flight, sustained substantial damage when the main rotor blades collided with a tree while landing at a remote site, about 15 miles southeast of Ketchikan, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot and the one passenger were not injured. The local flight operated in visual meteorological conditions, and a company VFR flight plan was in effect. The flight departed Ketchikan about 0730. The operator reported that the pilot had been ferrying passengers between remote sites in mountainous and thickly forested areas throughout the morning. On the last landing, the pilot reported he noticed damage to the main rotor blades. He said he was uncertain of when the damage occurred, but the operator noted it likely happened on his last landing, and it appears that the blades struck a tree, or a tree stump. The operator indicated there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the helicopter. On November 16, it was determined by a repair station that all three main rotor blades were unairworthy, and could not be repaired. ## Aircraft - Registration: N166EH (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Eurocopter France AS-350B2 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2194 - Airframe hours: 7334 - Engines: Turbomeca 1D1 712 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Era Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, September 19, 2004, 94 hours before - Departed: Ketchikan, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 28, 2004; seat: right; flight hours: 3,319 total, 1,585 in this make and model, 3,140 as pilot in command, 240 in the last 90 days, 126 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 50 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20041012032279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041012032279A), Oct 12, 2004: Snias AS350B2, Ketchikan, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft was in the process of dropping passengers at several different locations throughout the day, in and around tall trees and in mountainous… 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. --- 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.