What happened
A mid-air collision occurred at an altitude of 2,100 feet MSL when an air tour helicopter and an airplane collided over a saltwater channel. The helicopter had just completed crossing the channel and was flying 100 feet above the upper limit of the recommended altitude for that crossing. The airplane was traveling west and was positioned 100 feet above the lower limit of the recommended altitude for its direction of travel.
The impact caused an 18-inch section of the airplane's right wing to remain attached to the helicopter. The airplane was destroyed upon impacting the water in the channel, resulting in 2 fatal injuries for the pilot-rated occupants. The helicopter landed with substantial damage and sustained 1 injury to a passenger. None of the occupants in the helicopter observed the airplane before the collision.
The incident took place in uncontrolled Class G airspace, an area characterized by high volumes of VFR air tour, air taxi, and general aviation traffic. At the time of the accident, visibility was reported as good.
The investigation
The investigation revealed that the helicopter pilot had made traffic advisory radio transmissions on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) for the area. This frequency was documented in the Alaska Supplement, the FAA advisory pamphlet, and the VFR sectional aeronautical chart. However, the airplane's radios were not tuned to this frequency.
Regarding aircraft lighting, the helicopter was operating with pulsating landing lights and high-visibility strobes. The airplane was equipped with wingtip strobe lights, two nose-mounted landing/taxi lights, and a red anti-collision beacon on the tail. While the switch for the airplane's anti-collision beacon was found in the 'ON' position, the control switch for its strobe lights was found in the 'OFF' position. The status of the airplane's landing/taxi lights could not be determined. Additionally, neither pilot aboard the airplane had documented flight experience in the Juneau area.