Aerospatiale AS-350BA accident near Juneau, Alaska, July 25, 2005
On July 25, 2005 at about 8:06 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350BA (helicopter), registered N57958, was substantially damaged in an accident near Juneau, Alaska (Juneau International airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during takeoff initial climb due to the separation of the engine power turbine shaft, the failure of which was due to a disconnected adjacent leaf spring, which resulted in an emergency landing after takeoff and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2005 · about 8:06 pm local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · Juneau International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350BA · all AS-350BAs on the register
- Registration
- N57958 · no longer on the register · serial 1512
- 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 was departing on a local area sightseeing flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, in a skid-equipped helicopter. During the initial climb, the engine lost power about 75 feet above the ground. The pilot entered an autorotation and attempted to cushion the landing, but the helicopter landed hard, collapsing the landing gear, and wrinkling the tail boom. A post-touchdown fire was burning in the engine compartment as the occupants exited the helicopter. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a retaining leaf spring, normally installed within engine Module 1 to hold several oil tubes in place, became unclipped. The legs of the spring made contact with the adjacent rotating engine power shaft. The shaft was severed, which resulted in an overspeed and failure of the free turbine. The engine had accrued 737.9 hours since Modules 2 and 3 were repaired in 2003, and Module 1 underwent a visual inspection. No maintenance had been done on Module 1 since the 2003 inspection.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,280 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 1,230 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,232 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2005; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PAJN Juneau AK at 3:05 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PAJN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.