Bell 206L-3 accident near Deadhorse, AK
On May 1, 2004, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Deadhorse, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 1, 2004
- Place
- Deadhorse, AK
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 69.467°N, 149.783°W
- NTSB ID
- 20040506X00562
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 30, 2004, about 1920 Alaska daylight time, a high skid-equipped Bell 206L-3 helicopter, N130AL, sustained substantial damage after colliding with snow-covered terrain, about 56 miles south-southwest of Deadhorse, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand charter flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was transporting three research scientists from the University of Alaska campus located in Fairbanks, Alaska. The research team was collecting snow samples at various remote sites from the snow-covered tundra of the North Slope. The contract holder, Veco Polar Resources, Inc., Denver, Colorado, was utilizing Air Logistics of Alaska, Inc, Fairbanks, to provide helicopter support services to the scientific research team. Of the four people aboard the helicopter, the certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries, the two surviving passengers sustained no injuries, and the third passenger sustained fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of departure, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated about 1600, from the researcher's camp, known as Toolik base camp, located about 95 miles south of Deadhorse. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 3, the pilot reported that on the day of the accident, fog delayed the flight's departure from the Toolik base camp until 1600
Probable cause
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his spatial disorientation and loss of control during a subsequent landing. Factors associated with the accident are flat light and whiteout conditions, fog, and snow-covered terrain.
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Browse: Alaska · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
