- Date
- February 24, 1999, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Barrow, AK
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N785SRBell 206L-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 20, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19990224001729A
- Case key
- 45799
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 misjudged flare while landing. Factors associated with the accident were whiteout conditions, and the snow-covered terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the public use helicopter was being utilized to search for a missing person. He said that shortly after initiating the search, he was able to locate the missing person on a frozen lake. He indicated that as he approached the lake for landing, he became disoriented due to whiteout conditions. The helicopter struck the frozen lake, and rolled onto its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and drive train components. The closest official weather observation station is Barrow, located about 4 nautical miles north of the accident site. On February 24, at 1753, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting in part: wind, 070 degrees at 13 knots; visibility, 3 miles with light snow; clouds, 2,400 feet scattered, 3,800 feet broken, 10,000 feet overcast; temperature, minus 7 degrees F; dew point, minus 13 degrees F; altimeter, 29.81 inHg. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
On February 24, 1999, about 1730 Alaska standard time, a high skid equipped Bell 206L-1 helicopter, N785SR, sustained substantial damage during landing, about 4 miles south of Barrow, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated as a public use, visual flight rules (VFR) local area search and rescue flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was registered to the North Slope Borough, and was operated by the North Slope Borough Search and Rescue of Barrow. The airline transport pilot and the two passengers aboard received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect.
In his written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported that the helicopter was being utilized to search for a missing person. He said that shortly after initiating the search, he was able to locate the missing person on a frozen lake. He indicated that as he approached the lake for landing, he became disoriented due to whiteout conditions. The helicopter struck the frozen lake, and rolled onto its right side.
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and drive train components.
The closest official weather observation station is Barrow, located about 4 nautical miles north of the accident site. On February 24, at 1753, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting in part: wind, 070 degrees at 13 knots; visibility, 3 miles with light snow; clouds, 2,400 feet scattered, 3,800 feet broken, 10,000 feet overcast; temperature, minus 7 degrees F; dew point, minus 13 degrees F; altimeter, 29.81 inHg.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N785SR
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45526
- Airframe hours
- 4,396
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 658 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- North Slope Borough
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 24, 1998 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- BRW · AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 49
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total · 314 in this make and model · 16,000 as pilot in command · 99 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- -8 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PAB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.