- Date
- September 8, 2023, 20:28 local (Sep 9, 2023, 03:28 UTC)
- Place
- Silverton, WA · Lake shore
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N350WWEurocopter France AS350B2
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20230908014819A
- Case key
- 193047
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 maintain visual reference and altitude while maneuvering over a lake during dusk conditions, which resulted in the helicopter impacting water.
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 reported that he was landing the helicopter on the shoreline of a lake, during low light, dusk conditions. During the approach to the shoreline, he began maneuvering to slow the helicopter down and descend over the open water and that his attention was fully outside of the helicopter, when he saw a light from the intended landing zone get brighter, and the area around the helicopter suddenly got darker. The helicopter subsequently struck the surface of the lake, rolled inverted, and sank in about 80 ft. of water. The pilot and the passengers exited the helicopter and were rescued by a good Samaritan before it sank. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system and tail boom assembly. The pilot reported that there are no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N350WW
- Reported as
- Eurocopter France AS350B2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2228
- Built
- 1989
- Airframe hours
- 11,884.1
- Engine
- Honeywell LTS101-700D-2, 742 hp, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Worldwind Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · September 8, 2023
- Departed
- AWO · Arlington, WA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 5, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,790 total · 3,025 in this make and model · 3,523 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 50° at 2 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Observed at
- CWZA, 23 nm away
- METAR
- CWZA 090300Z AUTO 05002KT 18/13 RMK AO1 3002 SLP195 T01790131 50001
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.