Aerospatiale AS-350BA accident near Haines, Alaska, April 6, 2006
On April 6, 2006 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350BA (helicopter), registered N209CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Haines, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 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 adequate clearance from an object while landing a helicopter at a remote site, 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
- April 6, 2006 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Haines, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350BA · all AS-350BAs on the register
- Registration
- N209CH · no longer on the register · serial 2494
- 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 pilot was landing a helicopter in an area of grass near the beach of an island on a CFR Part 135 air taxi flight. The pilot indicated that he was focused on a log as a reference point, when just before touchdown, the main rotor blades struck a tree. The operator's director of operations indicated that the rotor blades could not be repaired at his facility, and were being sent to the blade manufacturer's repair facility.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,227 hours in all; 396 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 4,860 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,927 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 1, 2006; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 75-101-600A3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Haines AK at 6:45 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; ovct at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.