Eurocopter AS-350-B2 accident near Eugene Is. 193, March 17, 1999
On March 17, 1999 at about 7:02 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS-350-B2 (helicopter), registered N6100R, was destroyed in an accident near Eugene Is. 193 (Eugene Island 193 airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of control as a result of the spring-steel extension becoming entangled with the hatch door handle during takeoff. A contributing factor was the flat design of the spring-steel extension.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1999 · about 7:02 pm local time
- Place
- Eugene Is. 193 · Eugene Island 193
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS-350-B2 · all AS-350-B2s on the register
- Registration
- N6100R · no longer on the register · serial 2862
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that as soon as he lifted the helicopter off the platform, he 'felt that something wasn't normal.' He added that he was '2 feet off the deck and turning to the left at the same time.' The surviving passenger stated that it felt as if 'the rear end of the aircraft either got pushed or pulled down.' He added that the nose pitched up violently and then the helicopter bounced (from side-to-side) on the platform. The pilot realized that he did not have enough room to land, and pulled up on the collective in an attempt to get away from the platform. The helicopter then rolled inverted and descended into the water on the north side of the platform. Examination of the platform revealed that the hatch door located on the west end of the platform had a handle that was bent and deformed. On the bottom side of the deformed handle there was a rolled gouge of metal. Under the gouge there was a paint chip. The helicopter's left spring-steel extension had the paint scraped off the upper outboard corner along the length of the extension. Paint analysis and geometric evaluation of the handle and the extension revealed that the paint chip found on the handle and the paint on the spring-steel extension were similar, and that the deformation on the handle coincided with the placement of the extension under the handle.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,670 hours in all; 157 in this make and model; 166 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 2,155 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,228 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 9, 1999; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Petroleum Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 193 at 7:02 pm
- Destination: 177 Eugene Is. 177 GM
- Runway 0, 24 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,300 ft; scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from PTN, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.