On March 15, 2005, an Aerospatiale AS350-B2 (registration N295EW) operated by Last Frontier Air Ventures Ltd was involved in an aviation accident near Valdez, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an object while hover taxiing, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking a sign. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A solo commercial helicopter pilot was repositioning in a parking lot used for loading skiers when a 'door ajar' light distracted him. The helicopter drifted aft, and the main rotor blades struck a sign post, damaging two blades, one of which was later deemed unrepairable.
Incident Overview
A solo commercial certificated helicopter pilot was repositioning the helicopter in a parking lot that was being used to load skiers. While the pilot hovered the helicopter, the 'door ajar' light illuminated on the enunciator panel, momentarily distracting the pilot's attention.
Sequence of Events
As the pilot's attention was diverted by the 'door ajar' warning light, the helicopter drifted aft. During this rearward movement, the main rotor blades struck a sign post. The impact resulted in damage to two of the three main rotor blades.
Postaccident Inspection
A postaccident inspection of the main rotor blades revealed damage to two of the three blades. On April 25, a repair station determined that one of the damaged main rotor blades was unairworthy and could not be repaired. The operator indicated there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the helicopter.