Bell 206 B3 accident near Seward, Alaska, September 23, 2011
On September 23, 2011 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bell 206 B3 (helicopter), registered N204PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Seward, Alaska. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 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 clearance from snow-covered terrain during hover in deteriorating weather and flat light conditions, which resulted in a tail rotor strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2011 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Seward, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 B3 · all 206 B3s on the register
- Registration
- N204PA · no longer on the register · serial 1742
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial helicopter pilot, with two passengers aboard, was supporting a snow survey crew atop an expansive, smooth, featureless, and snow-covered glacial ice field. This operation required brief stops at various predetermined sites along a prearranged route. When the pilot departed from one site en route to the next predetermined site, deteriorating weather conditions coupled with flat light conditions hampered his ability to see the topographical features of the ice field below. As the pilot slowed the helicopter to make a precautionary landing, the helicopter “touched down early.” After the initial touchdown, the pilot hover-taxied the helicopter to an area about 20 or 30 yards beyond the initial touchdown point, then he landed the helicopter in the deep snow. After landing, the helicopter tipped backwards as the aft portion of the skids settled into the deep snow, and the tail rotor blades subsequently struck the snow. The operator reported no preaccident mechanical problems with the helicopter. Before the helicopter could be ferried from the site, a maintenance technician inspected the helicopter for damage. Finding no apparent damage, the helicopter was started, ground run, and then hovered. While hovering, a tail rotor driveshaft coupling separated, and the pilot did a hovering autorotation back to the snow-covered ice field. As a result of the tail rotor driveshaft coupling separation, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft assembly. The damage to the tail rotor drive shaft occurred as the helicopter was being ferried from the site, not during the original event. Most likely the drive shaft was degraded during the first landing, but it did not separate until the ferry flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of visual reference during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Whiteout › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor › Tail rotor blade › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,860 hours in all; 392 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 1,835 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,347 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pathfinder Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PAWD Seward AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Seward AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; ovct at 500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.