- Date
- August 18, 2024, 12:46 local (20:46 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N783AKRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Landing: Windshear or thunderstorm
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240818014129A
- Case key
- 194970
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 failure to follow the operator’s procedure manual and attempted to land at a remote landing zone in high wind conditions. Contributing factor was the pilot’s decision to not conduct a fly over of the landing site to determine wind condition which resulted in a loss of control during landing.
Findings · 6
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 reported that, while on a straight in approach to a remote landing site in an area of mountainous terrain, the helicopter experienced strong gusty wind conditions and down drafts. He attempted to abort the landing to no avail. The helicopter impacted terrain and rolled over resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom and main rotor drive system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot reported the wind was 30 knots with wind gusts of 40 knots. A passenger reported that enroute to the landing area the pilot stated the helicopter had a 30 knot head wind. The operator’s operating procedures manual states that if the wind is over 30 knots “DO NOT LAND” at the landing zone (LZ). According to the operator, pilots are required to fly over the LZ to determine wind direction and condition before attempting to land.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N783AK
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 14674
- Built
- 2023
- Airframe hours
- 198.7
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 135
- Operator
- Alpha Aviation
- Registered owner
- Alpha Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 24, 2024 · 3.4 hours before
- Departed
- 03AN · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Video recording device, Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 2, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 1,416 total · 965 in this make and model · 1,319 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 17 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.75 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- METAR
- SA 18/08/2024 20:53-> METAR PAAQ 182053Z 21008KT 170V240 10SM -RA OVC070 18/13 A2974 RMK AO2 RAE1957B27 SLP071 P0000 60000 T01830133 56016=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.1 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.