Mbb BO-105S accident near Deadhorse, Alaska, July 23, 2002
On July 23, 2002 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Mbb BO-105S (helicopter), registered N491HL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deadhorse, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to correct a settling-with-power condition during a helicopter landing flare/touchdown, resulting in a hard landing and roll over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2002 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Deadhorse, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb BO-105S
- Registration
- N491HL · no longer on the register · serial S-664
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot departed a survey camp in a high skid-equipped helicopter, on an air taxi flight to survey potential exploration sites. The director of operations said the pilot told him that he was flying about 70 feet above the ground at 50 knots when he began a descending 180 degree left turn to land in an area of flat open tundra. The pilot indicated the airspeed decreased during the turn, and the helicopter shuddered and developed a high rate of descent. The pilot applied collective pitch and power, but the rate of descent increased. The right landing gear skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The pilot told the director of operations that the wind conditions were about 8 knots from the northeast.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,151 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 5,291 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,120 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 15, 2002; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,512 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Deadhorse AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Deadhorse AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.