N194EH

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 5, 2016, about 1405 Alaska daylight time, an Airbus (formerly Eurocopter) AS 350 B2 helicopter, N194EH, collided with snow-covered mountainous terrain while on approach to a remote landing site on the Norris Glacier about 15 miles northeast of Juneau, Alaska. The commercial pilot received serious injuries, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Era Helicopters, LLC, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a visual flight rules (VFR) internal-cargo company flight. Degraded visual meteorological conditions were reported on the Norris Glacier at the time of the accident, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated about 1341 from a heliport at the operator's headquarters on Douglas Island in Juneau.

Alaska Heli-Mush, Inc., contracted with Era Helicopters to provide helicopter support for the movement of personnel, dogs, and cargo. The purpose of the flight was to transport camp equipment from Era Helicopters' headquarters in Juneau to a remote dog camp on the Norris Glacier in the Tongass National Forest. Era Helicopters and Alaska Heli-Mush conducted heli-mushing operations for the Alaska tourism industry using a helicopter glacier landing permit issued by the US Forest Service.

The operator reported that, at 1307, a weather report from the dog camp indicated a 300-ft ceiling and 5 miles visibility. At 1341, the pilot departed on his first flight of the day from the heliport for the approximate 25-minute flight with an internal cargo load of 850 pounds and no passengers. During an interview with a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator on May 11, 2016, the pilot reported that, during the approach to the dog camp over a large, featureless and snow-covered ice field, ceilings were "low," and he observed "a lot of flat light." He stated that, during the approach, he was in radio contact with the dog camp personnel. He reported that he was scanning his radar altimeter, which was showing 200 ft above ground level, and he had visually acquired the landing zone and dog camp when the helicopter struck the snow-covered ice field and rolled over to the right. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and characterized the accident as controlled flight into terrain.

After the impact, the pilot released himself from the fiberglass seat's 4-point restraint system and attempted to perform an emergency shutdown. The dog camp personnel immediately responded to the accident site via snowmobile and rendered first aid to the pilot who they found lying on the snow. The accident site was about 3/4 mile from the dog camp landing zone near Guardian Mountain.

Dog camp personnel notified Era's operational control center of the accident at 1405 and Era's Juneau base at 1408. At 1409, the operator's base in Juneau initiated the emergency response plan. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 39, held a commercial pilot certificate with a rotorcraft-helicopter rating and a helicopter instrument rating. His most recent first-class medical certificate was issued on January 7, 2016, with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses.

According to the operator, the pilot's total aeronautical experience was about 3,428 hours of which about 2,084 hours were in the accident helicopter make and model. In the 30 days before the accident, the pilot flew a total of 15 hours.

The operator's training records for the pilot showed no deficiencies and indicated that the pilot had completed all required training including a competency check ride on March 30, 2016. The operator reported that flight operations in flat light conditions and inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC) recovery are trained and checked annually in the helicopter. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe 1992-model-year helicopter was equipped with a Safran (formerly Turbomeca) Arriel 1D1 turboshaft engine. According to the operator's records, at the time of the accident, the helicopter had accumulated 11,735.9 flight hours, and the engine had accumulated 8,741.90 hours. The most recent inspection of the airframe and engine was completed on May 3, 2016. An examination of the helicopter's maintenance records revealed no evidence of uncorrected mechanical discrepancies with the airframe and engine.

The helicopter was configured to be flown from the right front seat, which was a non-energy attenuating, fiberglass seat. The left front seat was a two-place, non-energy attenuating, fiberglass seat installed via a supplemental type certificate (STC).

The helicopter was equipped with a radar altimeter. The helicopter's attitude indicator displayed the minimum required ± 25° pitch indication. An emergency floatation system was installed on the skid system of the helicopter. Snow/tundra boards were not installed on the skid tubes.

The operator configured the helicopter's cabin to facilitate the transportation of internal cargo. The rear seat assembly was folded up against the cabin wall, and a lidded plastic box that contained a metal heater was placed on the cabin floor behind the pilot's seat. A single cargo strap was secured to the rear seatbelt attachment points in front of the aft cabin wall and routed over the top of the plastic box from left to right in the cabin. The configuration of the single cargo strap provided lateral restraint; however, no forward restraint was present. The make and model of the single cargo strap, as well as the strap's maximum load rating, could not be determined. According to cargo paperwork, the box and its contents weighed 50 pounds. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe closest official weather observation station to the accident site was located at the Juneau International Airport, Juneau, about 16 miles southwest of the accident site. At 1353, the reported weather conditions were wind 120° at 15 knots, visibility 8 statute miles, few clouds at 1,300 ft, broken clouds at 3,900 ft, temperature 45°F, dew point 41°F, and altimeter setting 30.21 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe 1992-model-year helicopter was equipped with a Safran (formerly Turbomeca) Arriel 1D1 turboshaft engine. According to the operator's records, at the time of the accident, the helicopter had accumulated 11,735.9 flight hours, and the engine had accumulated 8,741.90 hours. The most recent inspection of the airframe and engine was completed on May 3, 2016. An examination of the helicopter's maintenance records revealed no evidence of uncorrected mechanical discrepancies with the airframe and engine.

The helicopter was configured to be flown from the right front seat, which was a non-energy attenuating, fiberglass seat. The left front seat was a two-place, non-energy attenuating, fiberglass seat installed via a supplemental type certificate (STC).

The helicopter was equipped with a radar altimeter. The helicopter's attitude indicator displayed the minimum required ± 25° pitch indication. An emergency floatation system was installed on the skid system of the helicopter. Snow/tundra boards were not installed on the skid tubes.

The operator configured the helicopter's cabin to facilitate the transportation of internal cargo. The rear seat assembly was folded up against the cabin wall, and a lidded plastic box that contained a metal heater was placed on the cabin floor behind the pilot's seat. A single cargo strap was secured to the rear seatbelt attachment points in front of the aft cabin wall and routed over the top of the plastic box from left to right in the cabin. The configuration of the single cargo strap provided lateral restraint; however, no forward restraint was present. The make and model of the single cargo strap, as well as the strap's maximum load rating, could not be determined. According to cargo paperwork, the box and its contents weighed 50 pounds. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe wreckage was recovered from the accident site and transported to a secure hangar at the Juneau International Airport, Juneau. On May 10, 2016, a wreckage examination and layout were done under the direction of the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC). Also present were an aviation safety inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration's Juneau Flight Standards District Office, an air safety investigator from Airbus, an air safety investigator from Safran, and two representatives from Era. The examination revealed damage to the helicopter's fuselage, main rotor system, tailboom, and tail rotor system. During the examination, no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and engine were noted.

Postaccident photos submitted by the operator showed that the cargo strap over the plastic box remained intact and that the metal heater had been ejected out of the plastic box during the impact sequence and was lying immediately behind the pilot's seat on the snow. The photos also showed a fracture of the seatback at about shoulder height. Removal of the seat cushion showed a complete transverse fracture of the seatback, lower on the left side than the right side. ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONCarriage of Internal Cargo in Airbus AS 350 Series Helicopters

The NTSB IIC submitted multiple inquiries during the investigation to the FAA Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, Washington, DC, regarding the carriage of internal cargo in the Airbus AS 350 series. On March 28, 2017, the FAA responded, in part:

The FAA does not require original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to publish information regarding cargo loading. The certification assumption is that the helicopter will be used to carry people, unless indicated otherwise by the applicant. In the case of the AS350, Airbus did not indicate that anything other than passengers will be carried.

In its March 28, 2017, response, the FAA also ...