Casualties unknown

1992-04-28: Bell B206 II (N371EH) — Era Aviation, Inc. — Valdez, AK

Valdez, AK, US

On April 28, 1992, a Bell B206 II (registration N371EH) operated by Era Aviation, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Valdez, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE COMPANY PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES. FACTOR WAS THE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A helicopter rolled over after the pilot aborted a takeoff due to whiteout, then lost visual reference while hovering back to the original takeoff point, causing the right skid to contact a hill.

Incident Overview

The pilot of a helicopter initially landed short of his intended destination due to poor weather conditions. After surveying the area, he decided to take off again and attempt to reach his original destination. During the takeoff sequence, the pilot lost visual reference because of whiteout conditions and aborted the takeoff. The helicopter subsequently touched down sooner than he expected.

Subsequent Maneuvers

Uncertain whether the terrain was level, the pilot elected to hover taxi back to his original takeoff point. While performing the hover, he again lost visual reference due to whiteout conditions. The helicopter then drifted to the right, causing the right skid to contact a small hill. This contact resulted in the helicopter rolling over.

The pilot reported that he did not know if the terrain was level at the location of the aborted takeoff, prompting his decision to hover taxi. No further details about the helicopter's type, registration, or the pilot's condition were provided in the source.

Outcome

The helicopter sustained a rollover after the right skid struck the hill. The source does not specify the extent of damage or any injuries. The incident occurred during a hover taxi in whiteout conditions, with the pilot losing visual reference on two separate occasions.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X14364. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.