American Eurocopter AS350 B3 N911AA

Summary

On 21 April 2006 at about 09:06 local time, a American Eurocopter AS350 B3 registered N911AA was involved in an accident near Nikiski, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 April 2006 at 09:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Nikiski, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.4331, -151.6447

Aircraft

American Eurocopter AS350 B3

Registration

N911AA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nikiski → Soldotna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ANC06TA047

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from terrain during an aborted takeoff in whiteout conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was whiteout conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was transporting an Alaska State Trooper, and a rescue volunteer with their equipment, to a remote lodge to search for a missing person. The flight was conducted during dark night conditions, and the pilot was using night vision goggles (NVG) to help discern topographical features on the snow-covered terrain. After an uneventful outbound flight to the lodge, the pilot landed the helicopter on a frozen lake adjacent to the lodge. During an hour-long search of the lodge and surrounding outbuildings, snow fell, with a light accumulation on the frozen lake where the accident helicopter was parked. Unable to locate the missing person, the search team boarded the helicopter for the return flight, and the pilot donned his NVGs. Just after takeoff, as the helicopter transitioned from a hover to forward flight, blowing snow from the helicopter's main rotor momentarily reduced the pilot's visibility, and he lost all visual reference with the surface of the frozen lake. While he was attempting to regain a visual reference, the helicopter's tail rotor guard and vertical stabilizer struck the surface of the lake, and he elected to abort the takeoff. The helicopter's skids subsequently struck the surface of the ice, and the helicopter bounced several times before stopping. A postaccident inspection revealed substantial damage to the helicopter's vertical stabilizer, tail boom assembly, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter, and that he had not received any formal training in the use of NVG's.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.