Eurocopter AS 350 B3 accident near Johnson River, Alaska, September 16, 2023
On September 16, 2023 at about 6:10 pm local time, a 2012 Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (helicopter), registered N297SH, was involved in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Johnson River, Alaska. It was an external-load flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The ground crew’s failure to remain clear of a tag line during sling load operations, resulting in his entanglement.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2023 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Johnson River, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B3, built 2012 · all AS 350 B3s on the register
- Registration
- N297SH · registry record · serial 7429
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- External-load flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator reported that during a sling load operation, one of the ground crew became entangled in a tag line as the helicopter began to lift the load. He was dragged across the deck, freed himself, and subsequently fell to the ground. In the operators written statement, it was noted the ground crew member was initially hidden from the pilot’s view as he began to lift the sling load. The helicopter was not damaged, but the ground crew personnel sustained serious injuries. The operator reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- External load event (Rotorcraft) during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,300 hours in all; 9,500 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 15,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 24, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,480 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 18, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 5,225 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Safran Arriel 2D (turboshaft); 1,479 hours total
- Operator: Soloy Helicopters LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on May 3, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.