- Date
- June 19, 2018, 10:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cordova, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7040PRobinson R66
- Defining event
- Landing: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180619008269A
- Case key
- 97540
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 unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in impact with brush and a loss of helicopter control.
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 helicopter pilot reported that, after multiple attempts to find a suitable landing site on a mountain ridgetop, the tail rotor impacted brush during landing. The helicopter pivoted, the main rotor contacted a communications tower, and the helicopter then rotated 180° and rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the windscreen and main rotor mast. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that, after multiple attempts to find a suitable landing site on a mountain ridgetop, the tail rotor impacted brush during landing. The helicopter pivoted, the main rotor contacted a communications tower, and the helicopter rotated 180° and rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the windscreen and main rotor mast. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7040P
- Reported as
- Robinson R66 (No Series)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0185
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 460
- Engine
- Rolls Royce RR300, 300 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Ridgeline Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- A.C.E. Flyers Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 21, 2018
- Departed
- CKU · Cordova, AK
- Destination
- Cordova, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 18, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 450 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- PACV, 24 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.