Helio H-391B accident near Anvik, Alaska, June 2, 2001
On June 2, 2001 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Helio H-391B, registered N25BA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anvik, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued operation of the accident airplane with known equipment deficiencies, and an improper installation of the float assembly by maintenance personnel. A factor in the accident was the pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2001 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anvik, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio H-391B · all H-391Bs on the register
- Registration
- N25BA · registry record · serial 011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was departing a river in a float-equipped airplane. During the takeoff run, the airplane came up on-step, but started to veer to the left. The pilot was holding full right rudder, but the airplane continued to turn left. He aborted the takeoff, but the left float collided with the bank of the river, and the right wing struck a tree. The airplane received damage to the left float assembly, the fuselage at the forward left float attach point, and the leading edge wing slat of the right wing. The float assembly was installed the previous month, 11.5 hours before the accident under a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). Since the float installation, the pilot said he had trouble obtaining full right rudder travel of the aerodynamic rudder. After the accident, a mechanic found an incorrect set of springs, as part of the water rudder/aerodynamic rudder rigging, installed on the airplane. An FAA airworthiness inspector reviewed the tail spring concerns raised by the pilot. She found that the float installation STC specified the use of D-376 water rudder steering springs. Due to the lack of immediate availability, the installer used Scott 3200 tailwheel steering springs. The installer told the FAA inspector that due to the similarity of the two spring sets, he has utilized Scott 3200 tailwheel springs in the past on other float installations, utilizing FAA field approvals, and substitution of the springs have been widely used in the floatplane industry. In this case, the installer did not obtain an FAA field approval. The installer told the FAA that when the floats were installed on the accident airplane, the rigging of the water and aerodynamic rudders allowed proper movement of each assembly. The installer reported that the difference in the two spring assemblies, as measured by applying a 40 pound weight to each set, was 3/8 inch further extension of the D-376 springs.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,225 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2001; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming G-0435C2B2-6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aurora Venturs INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Anvik AK at 12:30 pm
- Destination: K40 Anvik AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N25BA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC01LA066.