What happened
During the initial departure for the day's first heliski flight, a helicopter carrying a guide and four clients experienced a sudden loss of engine power. The aircraft had climbed to an altitude of approximately 200 feet and was accelerating past 35 knots when the engine failed.
In response to the failure, the pilot lowered the collective and maintained forward momentum to establish an autorotative descent. The pilot targeted a large, snow-covered paddock for an emergency landing. Upon contact with the ground, the aircraft struck the surface with significant force, causing the skids to collapse. The helicopter then slid approximately 60 meters through the soft snow before coming to a stop in an upright position. All five occupants escaped the aircraft uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the conditions of the aircraft prior to flight. The helicopter had been parked outdoors for several days and had accumulated a significant amount of snow. While the pilot had performed pre-flight procedures to clear snow from the cabin roof and the area surrounding the engine intake, and had verified that the intake duct was clear, the investigation looked into potential remaining debris.
Findings
Investigators identified that while the engine intake was clear, a layer of snow may have remained on the rotor head cover. It is believed that this snow was ingested during the departure phase, which subsequently caused the engine flame-out.