Aerospatiale AS-350-B2 accident near Skagway, Alaska, May 31, 1995
On May 31, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350-B2 (helicopter), registered N60618, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skagway, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE UNEVEN AND ICY TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Skagway, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350-B2 · all AS-350-B2s on the register
- Registration
- N60618 · no longer on the register · serial Z565
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PASSENGERS AND THE PILOT BOARDED THE HELICOPTER, WHICH WAS PARKED ON THE FEREBEE GLACIER'S SURFACE. AFTER EVERYONE WAS STRAPPED INTO THEIR SEATS, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN SLIDING FORWARD ON THE ICE AND GAINING SPEED. THE PILOT STATED THE SPEED DID NOT EXCEED A BRISK WALK. THE HELICOPTER TURNED LEFT AS IT WAS SLIDING AND THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER ROLLED INTO A DEPRESSION. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING AND THE ROTORS WERE NOT TURNING.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,480 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,552 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 17, 1995; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ferebee Glacier AK
- Destination: SGY AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N60618 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.