Bell 205A-1 CGNMJ

Summary

On 7 February 1990 at about 19:13 local time, a Bell 205A-1 registered CGNMJ, operated by Northern Mountain Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Wrangell, Alaska, United States. 8 people were on board and 6 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 February 1990 at 19:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Wrangell, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

56.4093, -131.6109

Aircraft

Bell 205A-1

Registration

CGNMJ

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Northern Mountain Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Johnny Mountain → Wrangell

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN90FA053

6 people died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: COMPANY INDUCED PRESSURE TO MAKE THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITIES, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER, C-GNMJ, CRASHED ON A FRZN RIVER AS MINERS WERE BEING TRANSPORTED FROM THE JOHNNY MOUNTAIN GOLD MINE (NEAR THE U.S./CANADIAN BORDER) TO WRANGELL, AK. THE PLT COULD NOT RECALL THE ACCIDENT & THE SURVIVING PASSENGER (PAX) REFUSED TO BE INTERVIEWED. ANOTHER HELICOPTER WAS EN ROUTE FROM WRANGELL TO THE MINE SITE AT THE SAME TIME. THE PLT OF THE OTHER HELICOPTER MADE 2 ATTEMPTS TO PENETRATE THE BACK SIDE OF THE SNOW SQUALL & FAILED. AFTER REVERSING COURSE TO RTRN TO WRANGELL, THAT PLT SIGHTED THE WRECKAGE OF C-GNMJ. PASSENGERS WHO HAD FLOWN TO WRANGELL ABOARD C-GNMJ ON A PREVIOUS TRIP SAID THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED SNOW SQUALLS & WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. AT ONE POINT, ONE OF THE PAX BELIEVED THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A HOVER. HE SAID IT THEN CAME OUT OF THE SQUALL IN A STEEP BANK. A FORMER EMPLOYEE RPRTD THAT COMPANY OFFICIALS PRESSURED THE PLTS TO COMPLETE THEIR FLTS, IN SPITE OF MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.