What happened
On March 31, 2019, an Aerospatiale AS350, registration C-GTNV, was engaged in a caribou capture flight near Coldfoot, Alaska. During the operation, the pilot attempted to net a calf. As the pilot reached shooting range, the calf moved suddenly to the right, prompting the pilot to turn the helicopter to follow the animal.
While the pilot was turning and believed a shot was no longer feasible, the gunner discharged the net gun. The pilot reported hearing a loud bang followed by a strong vibration throughout the aircraft. The pilot was able to land the helicopter without further incident. There were no injuries resulting from the event.
The investigation
Following the landing, the pilot inspected the aircraft's main rotor blades. The examination revealed substantial damage to one of the main rotor blades. The pilot noted that the damage was consistent with an impact from a net weight. There were no reported mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident.