Accident Aérospatiale AS 350BA C-GRGK,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 23054
 
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Date:Friday 26 April 1996
Time:14:09
Type:Silhouette image of generic AS50 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Aérospatiale AS 350BA
Owner/operator:Canadian Helicopters Limited
Registration: C-GRGK
MSN: 1324
Year of manufacture:1980
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:McCulloch Creek, 50 nm of Revelstoke, British Columbia -   Canada
Phase: En route
Nature:Survey
Departure airport:Golden, British Columbia
Destination airport:Golden, British Columbia
Investigating agency: TSB
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
The pilot departed the operator's Revelstoke base in the AS-350BA helicopter at 0750 mountain daylight time (MDT) on Friday, 26 April 1996, and flew to the operator's base at Golden, British Columbia, to refuel and pick up two passengers. The three then departed Golden at 0900 MDT to begin a planned visual flight rules (VFR) flight to undertake snow-sampling operations at various locations in the mountainous area between Golden and Revelstoke. The helicopter did not return to Golden at the expected time, and the operator's base-pilot in Golden commenced an aerial search in the other company helicopter.

The Kamloops flight service station specialist contacted the Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria to advise them of the overdue aircraft. Search and rescue aircraft were dispatched from Canadian Forces Base Comox shortly thereafter and flew to the search area. After an extensive civilian and military search, the wreckage of the missing helicopter was found at about 1030 MDT the following day. The helicopter had crashed in mountainous terrain at about 6,200 feet above sea level; the three occupants were fatally injured and the helicopter destroyed. There was no fire.

The engine flamed out, likely as a result of snow ingestion. It could not be determined why the helicopter struck trees during autorotative descent. Contributing to the accident were the inhospitable terrain and likely adverse weather conditions.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: TSB
Report number: A96P0064
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 4 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

1. CADORS 1996P0155
2. http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/1996/a96p0064/a96p0064.pdf
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://coptercrazy.brinkster.net/search/se350show.asp?start=301&count=50]
4. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1110168/
5. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=1980

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
27-Sep-2008 01:00 ASN archive Added
03-Jul-2014 22:26 Dr. John Smith Updated [Cn, Location, Source, Narrative]
03-Jul-2014 22:31 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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