- Date
- March 11, 2012, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Trading Bay, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- C-GVEBHughes 369
- Defining event
- Landing: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- Case key
- 83117
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site in flat-light conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent dynamic rollover.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was landing at an off-airport site in flat-light conditions. After touchdown, the left skid sank into the snow, and the helicopter began rolling to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the roll with right cyclic input but overcorrected, and the helicopter entered a dynamic roll to the right. The helicopter came to rest on its right side, sustaining substantial damage to the tailboom and the main rotor drive system. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing at an off-airport site in flat-light conditions. After touchdown, the left skid sank into the snow, and the helicopter began rolling to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the roll with right cyclic input, but over corrected, and the helicopter entered a dynamic roll to the right, receiving substantial damage to the tail boom, and main rotor drive system. The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- C-GVEB
- Reported as
- Hughes 369 (D)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 611006D
- Airframe hours
- 13,207
- Engine
- Allison 250, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Prism Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- Prism Helicopters Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 13, 2012 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- Trading Bay, AK
- Destination
- Trading Bay, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- runway 36, snow
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 4, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 22,560 total · 5,450 in this make and model · 17 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.