# NTSB ANC06LA044: Aerospatiale AS-350BA, N209CH, Haines, AK, April 6, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 6, 2006, 15:50 local (23:50 UTC) - Place: Haines, AK - Coordinates: 59.074443, -135.273605 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.0744&lon=-135.2736&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-JNU FSDO 05 - NTSB case key (mKey): 63465 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC06LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63465/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06LA044 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from an object while landing a helicopter at a remote site, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking a tree. ## Analysis The airline transport certificated pilot was landing a helicopter in an area of grass near the beach of an island on a CFR Part 135 air taxi flight. The pilot indicated that he was focused on a log as a reference point, when just before touchdown, the main rotor blades struck a tree. The operator's director of operations indicated that the rotor blades could not be repaired at his facility, and were being sent to the blade manufacturer's repair facility. ## Factual narrative On April 6, 2006, about 1550 Alaska daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS-350BA helicopter, N209CH, sustained substantial damage when its main rotor blades struck trees during landing on Talsani Island, located in the Lynn Canal, about 13 miles east-southeast of Haines, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area on-demand air taxi flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was operated by Coastal Helicopters Inc., Juneau, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the two passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated from a nearby landing area about 1545. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 7, the director of operations for the operator reported that the pilot was landing in an area of grass near the beach. According to the director of operations, the pilot indicated he was focused on a log he was using as a reference point, when just before touchdown, the main rotor blades struck a tree. The director of operations indicated that the rotor blades could not be repaired at his facility, and were being sent to the blade manufacturer's repair facility. ## 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) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N209CH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N209CH-2018-03-07), registration cancelled 2018-03-07, S/N 2494, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerospatiale AS-350BA - Registry model: [Aerospatiale AS350BA](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350ba) (registry code 8680817) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (registry code 60030, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2494 - Airframe hours: 16927 - Engines: Lycoming 75-101-600A3 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Coastal Helicopters Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, February 1, 2006, 21 hours before - Departed: Haines, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 18,227 total, 396 in this make and model, 4,860 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg ## 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 20060406004839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060406004839A), Apr 6, 2006: Snias AS350BA, Haines, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On 4/06/2006, approx 1550 adt, a Eurocopter AS-350-BA helicopter, N209CH, sustained substantial damage when, while in hovering flight, its main rotor… 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.