Helio H 295 N68857

Summary

On 10 September 2020 at about 23:15 local time, a Helio H 295 registered N68857, operated by Wright Air Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. One person was 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

10 September 2020 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

65.3973, -147.8461

Aircraft

Helio H 295

Registration

N68857

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Wright Air Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC20CA092

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to initiate a right turn immediately after departure and his failure to maintain a proper crosswind correction, which resulted in a collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during takeoff, in gusty wind conditions, from a remote unimproved airstrip that was located along a river, the takeoff roll was normal. After the airplane became airborne, he initiated a turn to the right, and the right wing dropped suddenly and impacted a “root wad”. The pilot recovered airplane control after the impact and continued the flight back to the base airport without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.