MOUNT ILIAMNA, AK, USA
N5074R
HUGHES 369D
AFTER MAKING A LOW PASS OVER A MOUNTAINOUS WORK SITE THE HELICOPTER STARTED A RIGHT TURN. THE PILOT SAID HE SOON REALIZED THAT THE HELICOPTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OUT CLIMB THE STEEP TERRAIN, SO HE STARTED A TURN BACK TO THE LEFT. THEN THE RIGHT SKID HIT THE MOUNTAINSIDE, CAUSING THE SKID AND THE RIGHT HALF OF THE CROSSTUBES TO BE TORN FROM THE AIRFRAME. SOME ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS ALSO SUSTAINED BY THE FUSELAGE. THE HELICOPTER RETURNED TO ITS NEARBY BASE CAMP AND LANDED ON A MAKESHIFT SUPPORT STRUCTURE. THE PILOT SAID HE MIGHT HAVE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS SAID THE WINDS WERE GUSTY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
On August 27, 1993, at 1920 Alaska daylight time, a skid equipped Hughes 369D helicopter, N5074R, operated by Soloy Helicopters, Inc., of Wasilla, Alaska, collided with the terrain while maneuvering just northeast of Mount Iliamna, Alaska. The commercial pilot and 4 passengers were not injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The unscheduled domestic passenger flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed a remote camp in the area about 5 minutes before the accident. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and a company VFR flight plan was filed. Shortly after the accident, during a telephone interview, the pilot stated the following in part: "I had just taken off from the driller's base camp, and had made a low pass over the drill rig about 2 miles away to see if anyone there needed us for anything. I started a right turn then realized that I wouldn't be able to out climb the steep mountain, so turned back to the left. Then the right skid hit the mountainside causing the skid and crosstubes to be separated from the helicopter. The fuselage belly was also damaged. I flew back to the base camp where I landed on a makeshift support structure. I could have encountered a downdraft that caused the helicopter to settle down and hit the mountainside."
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION. FACTORS WERE THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND GUSTY WINDS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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