ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45727
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| Date: | Thursday 18 October 2001 |
| Time: | 15:43 |
| Type: |  Bell 206L LongRanger |
| Owner/operator: | Era Aviation, Inc. |
| Registration: | N400EH |
| MSN: | 45108 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 12122 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce 250-C20R2 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Anchorage, AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Fire Island, AK |
| Anchorage, AK (ANC) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Because of falling snow and low ceilings, the pilot, who did not hold an instrument rating, was intentionally flying very low over the surface of an open area of flat/glassy water in whiteout/greyout conditions. As he continued on toward his destination, he kept getting lower and lower in order to maintain visual reference with the water's surface. Eventually the helicopter's skids drug through the water, followed almost immediately by the tail rotor colliding with the water, and soon thereafter by the helicopter's airframe impacting the water's surface.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the surface of an open body of water while intentionally attempting to maintain a very low altitude while in cruise flight. Factors include falling snow, low ceilings, whiteout/greyout conditions, and flat/glassy water.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20011026X02150&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Dec-2017 13:15 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 10-Apr-2018 16:56 | TB | Updated [Nature, Damage] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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