Incident Overview
An air tour helicopter and an airplane collided in midair near Juneau, Alaska. The helicopter was at 2,100 feet mean sea level and had just crossed a salt water channel when the collision occurred. The helicopter landed with substantial damage, and one passenger was injured. The airplane was destroyed upon impact with the water in the channel, and both pilot-rated occupants sustained fatal injuries. An 18-inch portion of the airplane's right wing remained attached to the helicopter after the collision.
Flight Paths and Altitudes
The helicopter was operating on a standard tour route used by the company, which was published in an FAA advisory pamphlet. The airplane occupants also had this pamphlet on board. The collision occurred at a location where the advised traffic route inbound to Juneau Airport crossed the helicopter's air tour route. At the time of impact, the helicopter was 100 feet above the upper limit of the recommended altitude for crossing the channel. The airplane was 100 feet above the lower limit of the recommended altitude for aircraft traveling west. Neither pilot in the airplane had any record of flight experience in the Juneau area.
Airspace and Visibility
The area is uncontrolled Class G airspace with no radar coverage and experiences a high volume of VFR air tour, air taxi, and general aviation traffic. The helicopter pilot described the visibility as good.
Communications and Lighting
The helicopter pilot made traffic advisory radio transmissions on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) for the area. This frequency was published in the Alaska Supplement, the FAA advisory pamphlet, and the VFR sectional aeronautical chart. The airplane's radios were not tuned to this frequency. The helicopter was illuminated with pulsating landing lights and high visibility strobes. The airplane was configured with high visibility strobe lights on the wing tips, two nose-mounted landing/taxi lights, and a red anti-collision beacon on the tail. The control switch for the anti-collision beacon was found in the ON position, while the switch for the strobe lights was found in the OFF position. The position of the landing/taxi lights could not be determined. None of the occupants of the helicopter saw the airplane prior to the collision.