ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 23474
Last updated: 25 May 2016
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Narrative:The Yukon Helicopters Ltd. Hughes 369HS helicopter was engaged in air taxi operations in the vicinity of St. Theresa Point, Manitoba. On the day of the occurrence, the pilot flew multiple flights until approximately 1012 central standard time. After a short break, he flew to the Waasagomach Band Office for another pick-up. After loading four passengers, the pilot took off and climbed the helicopter to about 500 feet above ground level (agl) for the five-mile flight back to St. Theresa Point. Ground-based observers heard unusual engine sounds and saw the helicopter slow down and descend about one-quarter mile from the Band Office. When the helicopter was about tree-top height above the frozen lake surface, the tail of the helicopter dropped rapidly and the helicopter tilted abruptly to its left side. The helicopter descended and struck the ice, left-side first, and bounced back into the air. The main rotor blades severed the tail rotor and tail boom assembly. The helicopter turned 180 degrees, and then slid to rest with the rear of the helicopter facing in the original direction of travel. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured; two surviving passengers were seriously injured. The accident occurred at approximately 1100 in daylight at latitude 5354' N, longitude09456' W, at an elevation of 740 feet above sea level (asl).
|C/n / msn:|| 310308S|
|Fatalities:||Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 5|
|Airplane damage:|| Written off (damaged beyond repair)|
|Location:||Waasagomach, Manitoba -
|Phase:|| Initial climb|
|Departure airport:||Waasagomach, Manitoba|
|Destination airport:||St. Theresa Point, Manitoba|
The helicopter engine suffered power excursions and finally a complete power loss as a result of the failure of the engine-driven fuel pump. The helicopter crashed onto the frozen lake surface when the pilot allowed the rotor rpm to decay and lost control of the helicopter while attempting an autorotation.
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