Accident Details
On June 19, 2010, at approximately 1700 Alaska daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, registration N333DV, collided with terrain about 62 miles southwest of Unalaska, Alaska. The helicopter was operated by the pilot under Title 14, CFR Part 91 as a visual flight rules (VFR) other work use flight in conjunction with a cattle ranch. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The solo commercial pilot died in the accident, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage.
Witness Account
According to a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge on the day of the accident, an official from the cattle ranch stated that another pilot at the ranch reported that the accident pilot had just dropped off two employees for a cattle count. Upon departure, the helicopter "caught a skid" and impacted the terrain. The employees attempted to provide aid to the pilot, but were informed the pilot had died. The employees stated they did not observe any problems with the helicopter prior to the accident.
A written statement from one of the witnessing employees provided further details. The witness reported that he and another employee were in the helicopter with the pilot surveying the ranch when they spotted a bull entangled in plastic wrapping material. The two employees exited the helicopter, and the pilot attempted to herd the bull toward them so the plastic could be cut off. The bull did not cooperate, and the pilot tried to land on the trailing plastic to facilitate tackling the bull. The witness also reported that the pilot attempted to knock the bull down with the helicopter. Eventually, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter's right landing gear skid under the plastic and tried to lift the bull, but the plastic broke. The pilot again hooked the skid under the plastic; this time the plastic held, and as the helicopter lifted the bull off the ground, the helicopter moved forward and to the right, impacting the ground.
Investigation
Due to the remote location of the accident, the helicopter was not examined by the NTSB. A postmortem examination of the pilot was conducted under the authority of the Alaska State Medical Examiner on June 25, 2010, in Anchorage, Alaska. The examination attributed the pilot's cause of death to multiple blunt force injuries. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) performed a toxicological examination on August 12, 2010, which detected ethanol, methanol, and n-propanol. The ethanol was determined to be from sources other than consumption. Ibuprofen was detected in the urine.