Eurocopter AS-350B-2 accident near Juneau, Alaska, September 10, 1999
On September 10, 1999 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS-350B-2 (helicopter), registered N6052C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Juneau, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 altitude/clearance. Factors associated with the accident were flat light conditions, snow-covered terrain, and self-induced pressure to continue the search.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1999 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS-350B-2 · all AS-350B-2s on the register
- Registration
- N6052C · registry record · serial 2586
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial helicopter pilot, with one passenger aboard, was conducting a search for an overdue company helicopter. While searching the upper portion of a glacial ice field, deteriorating weather conditions required the pilot to alter his search route. He said that he slowed the helicopter to 15 knots and attempted to use a mountain range on the right side of the helicopter for visual reference. He said: 'Visibility in front was enough to see all the way to the top of the Herbert (greater than three miles). The ceiling sloped down to the east 45 degrees with a height at the ridge of approximately 700 feet.' The pilot added that just seconds before the impact, he thought the helicopter was at least 500 feet above the surface. He said that 'flat light conditions' made it very difficult to see the topographical features of the ice field below. The helicopter struck the snow-covered ice field, slid about 75 feet, and the helicopter rolled over to the right. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor system. After the accident, the pilot radioed for another company helicopter to pick them up. A second company helicopter, N6099Y, landed at the accident site, boarded the uninjured pilot and passenger, and continued the search. During the search, N6099Y also collided with the snow-covered ice field. See ANC99FA139, and ANC99LA141. The accident pilot did not possess an instrument rating, and the helicopter was not equipped with a radar altimeter.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,396 hours in all; 1,537 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 2,336 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,727 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 5, 1999; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,461 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL D1D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JNU AK at 4:45 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.