Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mazama, Washington 98833
Sunday, March 11, 2001 9:00 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot approached the remote snow covered mountain site into the wind. During the descent at about 50 feet, the wind increased and shifted. The helicopter began to descend rapidly, and the pilot increased power in an attempt to arrest the rate of descent. Shortly thereafter, the low rotor rpm horn sounded and the helicopter touched down just past the normal landing site with sufficient force and forward speed to prevent him from holding it on the landing site. The pilot applied forward cyclic in an attempt to prevent the helicopter from falling off a 30 foot drop. Due to the low rotor rpm and the inability to maintain altitude, the pilot elected to land the helicopter in a large open snowfield. During the landing, the helicopter settled in the snow and the main rotors contacted the ground. The helicopter subsequently rolled over. The weather at the accident site was reported as high overcast. The wind direction was not indicated, however, the wind velocity was reported at 15-20 knots. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Snow covered terrain, high and variable wind conditions, and failure of attaining the proper touchdown point were factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/11/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Mazama |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98833 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 20 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10344 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 11 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1128 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 15 2001 4:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Spokane, Washington |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N189EH |
| NTSB Number | SEA01LA061 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | EUROCOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | AS-350 B2 Ecureuil |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2956 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4961 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 23 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1703 |
| Airframe Hours | 1745 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Era Aviation, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6160 Carl Brady Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Anchorage |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99502 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | ERAA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Mazama |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 845 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Mazama |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Hover |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 1 2001 6:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |