Bell 206L-1 N45RP

Summary

On 1 June 2006 at about 02:15 local time, a Bell 206L-1 registered N45RP, operated by Coastal Helicopters Inc, was involved in an accident near Juneau, Alaska, United States. 7 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 June 2006 at 02:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Juneau, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

58.5642, -134.5331

Aircraft

Bell 206L-1

Registration

N45RP

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Coastal Helicopters Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Juneau → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC06LA066

3 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from terrain while maneuvering in adverse weather conditions. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's decision to continue flight into adverse weather, fog, whiteout and flat light conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was conducting a helicopter air tour over glaciers and mountainous terrain under Title 14, CFR Part 135 when the helicopter inadvertently collided with terrain while maneuvering in reduced visibility. Passengers, a passenger's video recording, and another air tour helicopter pilot, depicted the weather as foggy, with whiteout and flat light conditions. One passenger remarked that she wondered how the pilot could see to fly in such weather. The helicopter collided with terrain in an all-white snow/ice field and sustained substantial damage. According to an FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot shortly after the accident, the pilot stated that he was maneuvering the helicopter over the ice field, and didn't see the snowfield/ground due to the flat light conditions. Another passenger remarked to the FAA inspector that he didn't see the ground before impact either, as it was all white around the helicopter. The accident helicopter was not equipped with a radar altimeter. In 2002, following a series of similar accidents involving helicopters colliding with snow and ice fields in flat light and whiteout conditions, several in the same area as this accident flight, the NTSB recommended to the FAA that all commercial, passenger-carrying helicopters that operate over areas conducive to flat light or whiteout conditions, be equipped with radar altimeters to assist the pilot in determining their height above terrain (NTSB Recommendation A-02-035). As of February, 2007, the NTSB has classified the FAA's response to the recommendation as "Open--Unacceptable Response."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.