ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 343110
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| Date: | Wednesday 25 December 1991 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Aérospatiale AS 350B |
| Owner/operator: | Canadian Helicopters |
| Registration: | C-GFHP |
| MSN: | 1422 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1981 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Canmore -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | |
The helicopter had been contracted for a Christmas excursion charter by a family group of 14. At about 1045L, the pilot began a series of short shuttle flights from the company helipad in Canmore to a scenic location at the base of Mount Charles Stewart, seven kilometres to the north. After the picnic, the pilot made two return shuttles, and went back for the last load of four passengers at about 1220. When the helicopter had not returned by 1330, the company was contacted and a search was initiated. The wreckage of the helicopter was found the following morning near the picnic site. The trail of wreckage was spread over the side of a steep, boulder-strewn ridge 8,100ft. amsl, on a heading of 037deg magnetic. Evidence indicated that initial contact was at high speed in near-level flight while in a nose-high, right-side-low attitude. The helicopter struck the ground about 25ft. below the top of a ridge. The highest 20ft. of the ridge angled downward at 45 to 70 deg; then the slope decreases. At the point where the helicopter first struck the ground, the terrain slopes at 22 degrees. The surrounding terrain was partially snow-covered, and the slope was covered with boulders of various sizes, which protruded above the snow. However, although a general visual contrast was sharp and definite. Within a one-mile radius of the accident site, the terrain varies from about 9,100 to 7,300ft. asl, and the crash site is about 8,100flt asl. The visual contrast varied from large expanses of pure white snow to fully exposed mountain granite. In the lower valleys, some evergreen trees are about 15 feet tall. On some of the exposed slopes, rocky outcroppings were visible through the snow. When investigators flew near the accident site, they observed that, although the snow and rocks contrasted sharply, ridge lines and other uneven ground features were difficult to identify against similar backgrounds. The TSBC determined that the pilot probably misjudged his height and distance from the snow-covered terrain during a descending right turn due to a visual illusion, and struck the ground.
Sources:
WAAS
Revision history:
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