Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Valdez, Alaska 99686
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 11:25 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was landing a high-skid-equipped helicopter on a snow-covered glacier. After touchdown, both skids sank into the snow, and the tail rotor contacted terrain. The tail rotor drive shaft and tail rotor gear box sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing surface, which resulted in the tail rotor contacting terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/18/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1125 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Valdez |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99686 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 612117N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1462549W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1116 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 159 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAVD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 17 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| 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 | METAR PAVD 181916Z 00000KT 10SM FEW010 BKN030 BKN1 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29904 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA AAL Regional Operations Ce |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 20 2012 8:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | snyg |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N191EH |
| NTSB Number | ANC12CA033 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AEROSPATIALE |
| Aircraft Model | AS350 B2 ECUREUIL |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2505 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 9 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 83 |
| Airframe Hours | 9346 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ERA HELICOPTERS LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 6550 |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAKE CHARLES |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70606-6550 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ERA HELICOPTERS LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 6550 |
| Operator City | LAKE CHARLES |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 70606-6550 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | PAVD |
| Departure City | Valdez |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1105 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Valdez |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 22 2012 2:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |