Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deadhorse, Alaska 99734
Tuesady, July 23, 2002 15:15 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial certificated pilot departed a survey camp in a high skid-equipped helicopter, on an air taxi flight to survey potential exploration sites. The director of operations said the pilot told him that he was flying about 70 feet above the ground at 50 knots when he began a descending 180 degree left turn to land in an area of flat open tundra. The pilot indicated the airspeed decreased during the turn, and the helicopter shuddered and developed a high rate of descent. The pilot applied collective pitch and power, but the rate of descent increased. The right landing gear skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The pilot told the director of operations that the wind conditions were about 8 knots from the northeast.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to correct a settling-with-power condition during a helicopter landing flare/touchdown, resulting in a hard landing and roll over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone --
Event City DEADHORSE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99734
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 691629N
Event Location Longitude 1503219W
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 Full
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 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
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) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12717
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1610
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 1 2003 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-FAI FSDO 01

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N491HL
NTSB Number ANC02LA081
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MBB
Aircraft Model BO-105S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number S-664
Certified Max Gross Weight 5512
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 10120
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR LOGISTICS OF ALASKA INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1915 DONALD AVE.
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99701
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 EOPA
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 DEADHORSE
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City DEADHORSE
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2002 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --