ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 233149
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| Date: | Thursday 20 February 2020 |
| Time: | 17:00 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | Talkeetna Air Taxi Inc |
| Registration: | N716JL |
| MSN: | 10463 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2728 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540 AE1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ruth Glacier, Denali National Park, Talkeetna, AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Talkeetna, AK (09AA) |
| Talkeetna Airport, AK (TKA/PATK) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that he was conducting a passenger flight from a high elevation mountain heliport to the company's base airport. While the passengers were loading at the heliport, the weather deteriorated to 2 statute miles visibility in light snow and the ceiling was about 1000 ft. After the takeoff, the pilot was descending over a glacier and the helicopter unexpectedly skipped on the snow-covered surface of the glacier and it settled into deep snow. The helicopter subsequently rolled onto the right side and the main rotor blades, main rotor transmission and tail boom sustained substantial damage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from snow covered terrain during an en route descent in flat light conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=716JL
NTSB ANC20CA023
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Feb-2020 05:01 | Geno | Added |
| 25-Feb-2020 16:28 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 26-Mar-2021 15:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
| 26-Mar-2021 15:29 | harro | Updated [Nature, Source, Narrative] |
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