Aerospatiale SA-315B accident near Trading Bay, Alaska, April 6, 1990
On April 6, 1990 at about 1:55 am local time, a Aerospatiale SA-315B (helicopter), registered N37903, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trading Bay, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SNOW COVERED TERRAIN, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT, DUE TO LACK OF VISUAL CURE DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1990 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- Trading Bay, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA-315B · all SA-315Bs on the register
- Registration
- N37903 · no longer on the register · serial 2565
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE TOOK OFF, THERE WAS 1-1/2 TO 2 MI VIS WITH LIGHT SNOW. ABOUT 5 MIN LATER, HE ENCOUNTERED WHITEOUT CONDITIONS & INITIATED A LANDING. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHDOWN HARD & THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM, WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,779 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 264 in the last 90 days; 102 in the last 30 days; 15,579 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,457 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 2, 1990; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,850 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Drift River AK at 8:50 pm
- Destination: Granite Point AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.