Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Haines, Alaska 99827
Thursday, April 6, 2006 15:50 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport certificated pilot was landing a helicopter in an area of grass near the beach of an island on a CFR Part 135 air taxi flight. The pilot indicated that he was focused on a log as a reference point, when just before touchdown, the main rotor blades struck a tree. The operator's director of operations indicated that the rotor blades could not be repaired at his facility, and were being sent to the blade manufacturer's repair facility.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from an object while landing a helicopter at a remote site, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking a tree.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/6/2006
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone --
Event City Haines
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99827
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 590428N
Event Location Longitude 1351625W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 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 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.8
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20472
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operation Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2006 8:45AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-JNU FSDO 05

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N209CH
NTSB Number ANC06LA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aerospatiale
Aircraft Model AS-350BA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2494
Certified Max Gross Weight 4630
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 16927
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Coastal Helicopters Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8995 Yandukin Dr.
Aircraft Owner City Juneau
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99801
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 XCHA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Haines
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 2 2006 10:19PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --