Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Chugiak, AK
On May 28, 2014, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Chugiak, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 28, 2014
- Place
- Chugiak, AK
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 61.418°N, 149.501°W
- NTSB ID
- 20140529X73728
Official records · ANC14FA030
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 28, 2014, at 1433 Alaska daylight time, a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, N392GP, collided with the ground and caught fire while maneuvering for landing during an external-load flight at Birchwood Airport (BCV), Chugiak, Alaska. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the helicopter was destroyed by the ground impact and postimpact fire. The flight was operated by Global Positioning Services, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight departed BCV about 1315. According to the operator's representative, the pilot had been conducting practice flights with a 150-ft long-line attached to a fluid-filled, 55-gallon barrel in preparation for an upcoming project. Satellite flight-following data provided by the operator (the helicopter was equipped with a Latitude Technologies system that recorded data in 2-minute intervals) showed that the entire flight remained within 5 nautical miles (nm) of the airport, maneuvering near the airport and northeast along the coast of Knik Arm. Several witnesses at the airport said that they saw the helicopter flying on the day of the accident with the barrel suspended beneath it by the long-line. One witness, who was a pilot flying his airplane near the airport with a passenger, said that he heard the accident pilot provide position reports over the airport common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) about every half mile, beginning from about 5 miles out as the helicopter approached BCV from the north. Whe
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control of the helicopter due to impairment or incapacitation from a sudden, acute cardiac event.
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Browse: Alaska · Robinson 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.
