Bell 206B accident near King Salmon, AK
On September 7, 2024, a Bell 206B (helicopter) was involved in an accident near King Salmon, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 7, 2024
- Place
- King Salmon, AK
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 4 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 58.659°N, 156.647°W
- NTSB ID
- 20240907195072
Official records · ANC24FA089
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 7, 2024, about 0924 Alaska daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N306FW, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska. A passenger was fatally injured; the pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 flight. The accident helicopter, owned and operated by Egli Air Haul, was transporting four passengers to a sport fishing camp located to the south of the King Salmon Airport (AKN). According to archived FAA data, the accident pilot contacted the AKN control tower specialist on duty to request a special visual flight rules (SVFR) clearance to depart to the south. The controller on duty issued the pilot a SVFR clearance and instructed the pilot to report clear of the Class D airspace to the south. The helicopter then departed to the south. Shortly after the helicopter departed, the control tower specialist received a phone call from an observer to the south of the airport indicating that a helicopter had just crashed into the Naknak River, near Grassy Point. The control tower specialist then attempted to reach the departing helicopter, but no further radio communications were received. The pilot reported encountering a very dense fog bank while flying over the calm water of the Naknek River; he subsequently lost all visual reference and became disoriented when he attempted to climb. The helicopter then descended and subsequently impacted the surface of the river. Witnesses reported that it was foggy at the airport bef
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to initiate the visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation, failure to maintain helicopter control and subsequent impact with water.
More accidents in AK
- Beech 1900C, Nov 23, 1987
- Textron Aviation Inc 208B, Feb 6, 2025
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jul 7, 2013
- Cessna 208, Oct 10, 2001
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jun 25, 2015
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.
