Airbus Helicopters Inc AS350 accident near Gustavus, AK
On September 28, 2018, an Airbus Helicopters Inc AS350 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Gustavus, AK. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 28, 2018
- Place
- Gustavus, AK
- Aircraft
- Airbus Helicopters Inc AS350 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 58.595°N, 137.595°W
- NTSB ID
- 20180929X15228
Official records · CEN18FA391
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 28, 2018, at 1057 Alaska daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350-B3e helicopter, N907PL, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Glacier Bay National Park, about 60 miles northwest of Gustavus, Alaska. The safety pilot was fatally injured, one passenger sustained serious injuries, and the pilot and another passenger remain missing and are presumed fatal. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The purpose of the trip was to deliver the newly-purchased helicopter to Anchorage from the Airbus Helicopters factory in Texas. The left seat safety pilot was onboard for insurance coverage purposes and was acting as a safety pilot. The right seat pilot-in-command, who owned the helicopter, planned to drop off the safety pilot in Wasilla, Alaska, then proceed to Anchorage with the passengers. The trip began on September 25, 2018, and included more than 30 stops for sightseeing, fuel, and rest. In a postaccident interview, the surviving passenger, who was seated in the left rear seat, stated that the accident flight departed Juneau International Airport (JNU), Juneau, Alaska, and proceeded north toward Yakutat Airport (YAK), Yakutat, Alaska, at low altitude parallel to the shoreline. The passengers' headphones were muted, but at one point, the pilot unmuted the passengers' headphones and asked if the passengers wanted to land on a beach to stretch their legs. About 1 minute later, the safety pilot pointed his hand to the right toward a long stretch of beach. The passenger recalled that
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor speed after setting the engine fuel control to idle, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control and impact with water.
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Browse: Alaska · Airbus 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.
