McDonnell Douglas 600N N737TV

Summary

On 8 August 2012 at about 00:45 local time, a McDonnell Douglas 600N registered N737TV, operated by Aurora Aviation Services Inc., was involved in an accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 August 2012 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Pogo Mine Airstrip (76AK)

Coordinates

64.4422, -144.8847

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas 600N

Registration

N737TV

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Aurora Aviation Services Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Delta Junction → Delta Junction

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC12FA084

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to clear the left landing gear skid, which resulted in the entanglement of the left landing gear skid with a log, and his subsequent application of collective pitch, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was transporting personnel from a remote elevated helipad constructed of logs. Witnesses stated that the helicopter had just touched down, and the pilot turned his head to give the signal to board when the helicopter suddenly pitched up and back, striking trees at the edge of the helipad. The helicopter rolled down the hill. A postaccident examination of the helipad revealed that one of the logs that made up the rear portion of the helipad decking had been pulled from the structure and damaged. Based on the lack of mechanical anomalies with the helicopter and the damage to the helipad decking, it is likely the pilot landed too far forward on the helipad, which allowed the tail of the left skid to fall into the open area between the logs and become entangled. It is likely that the pilot sensed the imbalance and applied collective pitch, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.