Merrill Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99513
Wednesday, February 22, 2006 10:45 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot had completed a short cross-country Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight and was landing her helicopter at a designated helicopter parking area at a tower controlled airport. She stated that she made two passes over the proposed landing area, and noted that it looked very icy and slick. She did not see any other suitable landing area in the immediate vicinity, and elected to land about 50 feet from another helicopter. Upon landing, she said her helicopter began to slide on the icy surface, skidding in a circular fashion towards a parked and unoccupied helicopter. Her helicopter collided with the parked helicopter before she could stop the main rotor blades, resulting in substantial damage to her helicopter's main rotor blades.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to land the helicopter on an icy airport parking ramp, which resulted in a loss of control on touchdown, and subsequent collision with another parked and unoccupied helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/22/2006
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99513
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 611249N
Event Location Longitude 1495040W
Event Location Airport Merrill Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MRI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MRI
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19793
NTSB Notification Source FAA, ANC ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2006 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4038M
NTSB Number ANC06CA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1571M
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Compass Rose, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Barbara J. Doty
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Wasilla
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Wasilla
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MRI
Destination City Anchorage
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 17 2006 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record LABJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --