Accident Flight
On February 10, 2018, about 1719 mountain standard time, an Airbus Helicopters EC130 B4 helicopter, registration N155GC, was destroyed in an accident near Peach Springs, Arizona. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 136 air tour flight by Papillon Airways. The pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries, and five passengers were fatally injured.
The accident flight departed Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU), Boulder City, Nevada, at 1642. The helicopter reached the Hoover Dam about 1652 and entered the Grand Canyon West Special Flight Rules Area 50-2 about 1713, flying the standard Green 4 route. The last radar return at 1717 placed the helicopter about 3.5 nautical miles west of the accident site, consistent with a descent into Quartermaster Canyon.
The pilot reported that during the approach to Quartermaster, he observed eight parked helicopters facing different directions, indicating variable wind conditions. The windsock indicated wind from the north/northeast, and unoccupied pads on the west side prompted him to approach from the west. After crossing the Colorado River, he entered a left descending turn. He encountered what he described as a "violent gust of wind," causing the helicopter to spin and resulting in a loss of directional control.
A witness on the ground at Quartermaster watched the helicopter approach from across the river. He reported that the helicopter decelerated, entered a nose-up pitch, then began a left turn. During the turn, it transitioned to a level attitude, then nose-low, drifted aft, rotated 360° twice, and descended. The helicopter collided with terrain, followed by a postimpact fire.
Pilot Information
The pilot began full-time employment with Papillon Airways on June 3, 2013, and was trained on the accident helicopter make and model. In 2014, he transitioned to a part-time role while pursuing another career. His most recent line check in December 2017 showed satisfactory grades; however, the lead pilot who conducted some training reported an "unsatisfactory" mark, noting difficulty maneuvering in high winds and during 180° autorotations. The pilot passed a subsequent check ride. At the time of the accident, he had flown 836 tours into the Grand Canyon and 581 landings at Quartermaster.
Helicopter Information
The helicopter, manufactured in 2010, was not equipped with a crash-resistant fuel system, nor was it required to be. Retrofit kits were approved by the FAA in December 2017 but were not available to the operator until April 2018. The operator subsequently retrofitted its EC130 B4 and AS350-series helicopters by August 2018.
Weather Conditions
Surface observations near the accident site recorded north-northwest winds at 15 knots with gusts to 19 knots at 1705, increasing to 16 knots gusting to 22 knots at 1725. A Papillon weather station reported north-northwest winds of 11 knots gusting to 19 knots at 1710, and 12 knots gusting to 24 knots at 1730. A photo of the Quartermaster windsock taken at 1713 showed it fully extended, consistent with wind speeds of 15 knots or greater.
Multiple pilots reported strong, variable winds. The seventh pilot experienced a rapid tail swing during approach. The eighth pilot encountered a strong wind that swung the nose 90° left, with rapid airspeed decay, requiring full control inputs to land. The accident pilot stated he had never experienced such a violent wind shift.
National Weather Service forecasts indicated a cold front moving through the region, with wind gusts of 30-45 mph and isolated gusts to 55 mph. An Area Forecast Discussion warned of widespread wind gusts during the evening.
Approach and Landing Site
Quartermaster is an unimproved landing site on a plateau at 1,450 ft msl, about 3,300 ft below the Grand Canyon rim. The landing area, 600 ft long by 150 ft wide, consists of packed dirt and rock with sparse vegetation. Ten landing pads are available, but no fixed markings are permitted. The operator had no written guidance for specific approaches; pilots chose pads based on availability and wind direction. Two main approaches were used: the "downriver landing" for east pads and the "upriver landing" for west pads, both starting north of the Colorado River.
Wreckage Examination
The helicopter came to rest upright about 300 ft below the landing site on a heading of 222° magnetic. Most of the wreckage was consumed by the postcrash fire except for the tail boom and fenestron, which separated but were collocated. All three main rotor blades remained attached to the hub with damage consistent with high rotational energy. The fenestron drive shaft showed no anomalous damage, and engine examination indicated operation at impact. Continuity of flight controls could not be determined due to fire damage.
Medical and Pathological Information
Toxicology tests on the pilot were negative for all tested drugs except those administered during postaccident medical treatment.