Eurocopter France AS-350B2 accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, October 12, 2004
On October 12, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Eurocopter France AS-350B2 (helicopter), registered N166EH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ketchikan, 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 maintain clearance from an object while landing, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France AS-350B2 · all AS-350B2s on the register
- Registration
- N166EH · no longer on the register · serial 2194
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated air taxi helicopter pilot was taking a passenger to a remote landing site. During the landing approach, the helicopter's main rotor blades inadvertently struck a tree. The helicopter landed without further mishap, but inspection of the main rotor blades disclosed that the blades were damaged beyond repair.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,319 hours in all; 1,585 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 126 in the last 30 days; 3,140 as pilot in command; 693 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,334 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 19, 2004; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,850 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ketchikan AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.