Accident Overview
On September 20, 2003, at approximately 1238 mountain standard time, an Aerospatiale AS350BA helicopter, registration N270SH, operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as an air tour sightseeing flight, crashed into a canyon wall while maneuvering through Descent Canyon. The accident occurred about 1.5 nautical miles east of Grand Canyon West Airport (1G4) in Arizona. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The pilot and all six passengers on board sustained fatal injuries.
Flight Details
The flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) in visual meteorological conditions, with a company flight plan filed. The helicopter departed from a helipad at Grand Canyon West Airport (elevation 4,775 feet mean sea level) near the upper rim of the Grand Canyon. The destination was a helipad designated "the Beach" (elevation 1,300 feet mean sea level) located next to the Colorado River at the floor of the Grand Canyon.
Aircraft and Operator
The accident aircraft was an Aerospatiale AS350BA helicopter, operated by Sundance Helicopters, Inc. The nature of the flight was an air tour sightseeing operation.
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident. The full report is available as Aircraft Accident Brief NTSB/AAB-07/03. The probable cause of the accident was not stated in the available information.