Eurocopter AS-350BA accident near Juneau, AK

On June 9, 1999, an Eurocopter AS-350BA (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Juneau, AK. 7 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

June 9, 1999

Place

Juneau, AK

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS-350BA · Helicopter

Injuries

7 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

58.579°N, 134.771°W

NTSB ID

20001212X18906

Official records · ANC99FA073

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Transcript of Radio Communication: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Company Radio and Operations Log: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 9, 1999, at 1050 Alaska daylight time, a skid/ski equipped Eurocopter AS-350BA helicopter, N6099S, was destroyed when it impacted the Herbert Glacier, about 3,400 feet above sea level (msl), approximately 20 miles north of Juneau, Alaska, at 58 degrees 34.958 minutes north latitude, 134 degrees 33.602 minutes west longtitude. The commercial certificated pilot and the six passengers on board were fatally injured. The helicopter was owned and operated by Coastal Helicopters, Inc., of Juneau, Alaska, under 14 CFR Part 135 as an on-demand air tour flight. The flight departed Juneau at 1008 for the Herbert Glacier. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in Juneau at the time of the accident, and a company VFR flight plan was in effect. The accident helicopter landed about the 1,000 feet msl level of the Herbert Glacier about 1025, as a routine part of the tour. The helicopter was near a second company helicopter which had also landed on the glacier. The accident flight took off again about 1035 to continue the tour. The pilot of the second company helicopter indicated he was about 5 minutes behind the accident helicopter, and did not have the accident flight in sight during the second half of the tour. The pilot of the second company helicopter, and the pilot of a third helicopter (operated by a different company) who was on the Mendenhall Glacier side of the pass between the Herbert and Mendenhall glaciers, told the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) that about 1045 they heard the accident pilot transmit "Coastal 99S is upper Herbert for the Mendenh

Probable cause

The pilot's continued VFR flight into adverse weather, spatial disorientation, and failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors associated with the accident were pressure by the company to continue flights in marginal weather, and the "flat" lighting leading to whiteout conditions. Additional factors were the pilot's lack of instrument experience, lack of total experience, inadequate certificatio

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.