- Date
- April 18, 2012, 11:25 local (19:25 UTC)
- Place
- Valdez, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N191EHAerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120418006089A
- Case key
- 83463
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 surface, which resulted in the tail rotor contacting terrain.
Findings · 2
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 a high-skid-equipped helicopter on a snow-covered glacier. After touchdown, both skids sank into the snow, and the tail rotor contacted terrain. The tail rotor drive shaft and tail rotor gear box sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing a high-skid equipped helicopter on a snow-covered glacier. After touchdown, both skids sank into the snow, and the tail rotor contacted terrain. The tail rotor drive shaft and tail rotor gear box sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N191EH
- Reported as
- Aerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2505
- Airframe hours
- 9,346
- Engine
- Turbomeca ARRIEL 1SER, 681 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Era Helicopters LLC
- Registered owner
- Era Helicopters LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 9, 2012 · 83 hours before
- Departed
- PAVD · Valdez, AK
- Destination
- Valdez, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 28, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,269 total · 289 in this make and model · 1,455 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- PAVD, 17 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.