N9HE

On March 2, 2001, at approximately 1200 mountain standard time, N9HE, a Bell 407, owned and operated by Helicopter Express, Inc., of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing about 22 miles southwest of Jackson, Wyoming. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the positioning flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated approximately 1020.

According to the pilot's accident report, the pilot was looking for a group of people to be picked up at a designated point. Flying over the location, he realized that they had not yet arrived, so he decided to land at an alternate location and await their arrival. He had landed at the alternate location previously but not on the day of the accident. He said the visibility was good, but there were no shadows due to the overcast. The approach was normal, and the pilot used a small pine tree to the right front quarter of the helicopter as a reference point. As the helicopter touched down, the pilot heard a loud noise and the helicopter yawed. Believing there had been a mechanical failure, the pilot lowered the collective control and closed the throttle.

Postaccident inspection revealed that the main rotor blades struck a snow covered slope to the left front quarter of the helicopter, and the helicopter settled into deep snow. The transmission separated from its mounts, the main rotor blades were destroyed, and the tail boom was severed.