What happened
On July 5, 2017, a Bell 206B helicopter, registration RA-01625, was engaged in a flight to the Eastern Sayan mountain region. The mission was intended to transport food and fuel for the personal use of the pilot. The flight plan for this operation had been submitted via the internet to the Novosibirsk Air Traffic Control Center under the name of the aircraft owner.
The crew consisted of the pilot in command and one passenger. Both individuals were co-founders of the company AK Pilot. The flight was requested by the pilot during a telephone conversation on the evening of July 4, 2017, during which the passenger agreed to assist with the flight.
The investigation
The investigation examined the qualifications of the crew and the operational history of the aircraft. It was determined that the pilot in command was not trained or certified to operate this specific aircraft type. While the pilot had experience flying a Robinson R-44, registration RA-06332, his experience with the Bell 206B was limited to flying from the left passenger seat using a secondary set of controls while flying with the owner.
Findings
- The pilot in command lacked the necessary training and certification for the Bell 206B.
- The flight was conducted for personal purposes rather than commercial operations.
- The crew members were also business partners in the company AK Pilot.
- The pilot lacked official authorization to operate the specific aircraft type involved in the accident.
- There were 2 fatalities resulting from the incident.