Bell 206L LongRanger Crash in Whiteout Conditions Near Lowther Island

Accident Overview and Flight Details On a charter flight under day visual flight rules, a Bell 206L LongRanger helicopter, serial number 45065, departed from a site on the sea ice near Lowther Island, Nunavut, bound for Resolute, approximately 40 nautical miles east-northeast. The aircraft carried a pilot and two passengers who had been conducting scientific research on polar bear behavior. At about 2205 central daylight time, the helicopter lifted off from the sea ice, initially heading toward Lowther Island to use the island's terrain features as visual references during take-off. At approximately 400 feet above the ice and 65 knots, the pilot turned right toward Resolute. During this turn, the pilot recognized that sufficient visual references were no longer available due to whiteout conditions. He began a left turn back toward Lowther Island and its visual references. In the left turn, the pilot lost control of the helicopter, which descended and collided with the ice surface. The helicopter was destroyed, and all three occupants were ejected from the fuselage as it disintegrated during the impact sequence. Both passengers sustained fatal injuries, while the pilot sustained serious injuries.