ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 30441
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| Date: | Sunday 15 August 1999 |
| Time: | 13:25 |
| Type: |  Aérospatiale AS 350BA Ecureuil |
| Owner/operator: | Air Alps/Glacier Air |
| Registration: | C-GDWF |
| MSN: | 2139 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1988 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 1 nm NE of Lake Lovely Water, near Squamish, British Columbia -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Squamish, BC (YSE/CYSE) |
| Squamish, BC (YSE/CYSE) | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
At about 12:35 Pacific daylight time (PDT) on 15 August 1999, a Eurocopter AS350BA helicopter, serial number 2139, registration C-GDWF, departed the airport near Squamish, British Columbia, under visual flight rules with the pilot and four passengers on board.
The purpose of the flight was to conduct a 30-minute sightseeing tour in uncontrolled airspace to a glacier and lake, Lake Lovely Water, in high terrain to the west of the airport. After the aircraft had been gone for more than an hour with no communication, company personnel initiated a search. The rescue co-ordination centre was alerted at 1543, and a ground and aerial search was begun. Search efforts were hampered by low cloud, rain, fog, and darkness.
At 16:48 PDT the next day, the wreckage of the helicopter was found about three nautical miles west of Squamish Airport and about one nautical mile northeast of Lake Lovely Water. The first impact was in a steep ravine, at about 3,800 feet above sea level. The aircraft struck the terrain at low speed, broke apart, and fell down the ravine, about 300 feet below the point of impact. The pilot and passengers were fatally injured.
There was no fire. The time of the accident could not be determined. The emergency locator transmitter was destroyed by impact forces, and no emergency locator transmitter signal was received at any time.
TSB Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors
1.At the time of the accident, the visibility at the accident site was concluded to have been about 75 feet.
2.The helicopter was being flown in weather below the minimum visibility limits for aerial work (sightseeing) operations.
3.While the helicopter was being manoeuvred close to terrain in poor visibility, the helicopter's main rotor struck a rock, making the helicopter uncontrollable.
4.The pilot had limited experience in helicopter operations, and he was operating without effective operational supervision and regulatory defences
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/1999/a99p0105/a99p0105.pdf
2. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=1952
3. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/aerospatiale.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 24-Jun-2014 21:39 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 24-Jun-2014 21:41 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 01-Sep-2014 12:00 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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