ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 316495
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| Date: | Wednesday 28 June 2023 |
| Time: | 10:39 |
| Type: |  Bell 206L LongRanger |
| Owner/operator: | Custom Helicopters Ltd |
| Registration: | C-FQHB |
| MSN: | 45095 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 28544 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | N of Devon Ice Cap, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Devon Island, NU -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Truelove Inlet, Devon Island, NU |
| glacier on the Devon Ice Cap, NU | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Bell 206L LongRanger, operated by Custom Helicopters Ltd, departed from Truelove Inlet, Nunavut for a glacier on the Devon Ice Cap. During the flight, the pilot lost visual reference and collided with the ice and snow covered terrain north of Devon Ice Cap, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Devon Island
The pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. They were rescued and taken to Resolute Bay, Nunavut for medical evaluation. The helicopter was destroyed.
The purpose of the flight was to transport passengers who would be performing an ice cap survey as part of the Polar Continental Shelf Program.
The flight departed at 09:36 however, when the helicopter arrived at the glacier, the pilot determined that surface definition was insufficient for a safe landing. As a result, he returned to the camp at Truelove Inlet to gather supplies and to make markers to drop onto the glacier to improve the surface definition at the landing area.
The observed local weather at the time was an overcast cloud layer above the flying altitude of 3800 feet above sea level (ASL), with unrestricted visibility.
The second flight departed at 10:18. During this landing attempt, the pilot reduced the aircraft’s airspeed and used rocks as a visual guide for the initial approach to the glacier. The aircraft crossed the glacier at a height of 75 to 100 feet above ground level (AGL), at approximately 30 knots, in preparation to drop the markers.
Once the helicopter passed the rocks, the pilot lost visual reference to the surface and entered an inadvertent descent. At 10:39, the helicopter collided with the rising terrain. It struck the snow-covered surface with a slight lateral motion to the right. This motion progressed to a dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on its right side and the engine shut down on its own.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/helicopter-crash-devon-island-tsb-arctic-1.6898170
https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/CCARCS-RIACC/ADet.aspx?id=511543&rfr=RchSimp.aspx
https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/helicopter-crash-near-resolute-bay-under-investigation/
TSB
https://www.airliners.net/photo/Custom-Helicopters/Bell-206L/6992157/L (photo)
History of this aircraft
Ex 5N-AJC, (5N-ALB)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Jul-2023 07:14 | gerard57 | Added |
| 06-Jul-2023 07:59 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 07-Jul-2023 06:56 | harro | Updated |
| 09-Jul-2023 08:48 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 10-Jul-2023 10:25 | Aerossurance | Updated |
| 05-Mar-2024 17:02 | ASN | Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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