Summary
On February 07, 2002, a Aerospatiale AS350-B (N6080D) was involved in an incident near Girdwood, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate distance from a radio antenna during landing. A factor was the presence of an antenna.
On February 7, 2002, about 1500 Alaska standard time, a skid-equipped Aerospatiale AS350-B helicopter, N6080D, sustained substantial damage during landing at a remote radio repeater site near Girdwood, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules, local area on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was operated by Coastal Helicopters Inc., Juneau, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC02LA018. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6080D.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate distance from a radio antenna during landing. A factor was the presence of an antenna.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On February 7, 2002, about 1500 Alaska standard time, a skid-equipped Aerospatiale AS350-B helicopter, N6080D, sustained substantial damage during landing at a remote radio repeater site near Girdwood, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules, local area on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was operated by Coastal Helicopters Inc., Juneau, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Juneau Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported that one main rotor blade on the accident helicopter struck a radio antenna at the repeater site.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on March 4, 2002, the company president reported the pilot landed the helicopter on snow-covered terrain adjacent to the repeater site to deliver a radio technician. The president said the pilot was not aware of any collision with an antenna at the time of the landing, but discovered damage to a main rotor blade later in the day.
The damaged rotor blade was removed and a replacement blade installed. The damaged rotor blade was returned to the manufacturer in France for repair.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC02LA018