Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Elim, Alaska 99825
Tuesady, March 15, 2005 10:30 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airline transport certificated pilot was flying a high skid-equipped helicopter over flat, snow-covered terrain. As the flight progressed, visibility deteriorated to about one and one-half miles, making it difficult to discern the surface of the featureless terrain. The pilot said that he elected to make a precautionary landing, and wait for improved weather conditions. After landing, he decided to reposition the helicopter to a more suitable site. He said that just after takeoff, as the helicopter moved forward, flat light and worsening fog contributed to his inability to recognize any topographical features. He reported that while hover taxiing, the main rotor blades struck a snow-ridge, and the helicopter pitched forward. When the main rotor blades struck the snow-ridge, the main rotor mast sheered, and the helicopter rolled to the right, coming to rest upright against the snow-ridge. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, main rotor blades, and transmission deck assembly. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate clearance while maneuvering, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident are flat light, whiteout conditions, fog, and snow-covered terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/15/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | Elim |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99825 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 643600N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1621600W |
| 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 | 500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| 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) | 17852 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Alaska State Troopers |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 16 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1030 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 7 2005 10:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fairbanks FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N422R |
| NTSB Number | ANC05CA049 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 206B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1696 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 5 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 90.3 |
| Airframe Hours | 10226.7 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John Anthony Oney |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2631 West 100th Avenue |
| Aircraft Owner City | Anchorage |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99515 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | John Mason Oney |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2631 West 100th Avenue |
| Operator City | Anchorage |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99515 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| 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 | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KKA |
| Departure City | Koyuk |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1000 |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ELI |
| Destination City | Elim |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 12 2005 1:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| 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 | -- |