PUNTILLA LAKE, AK, USA
N160EH
AEROSPATIALE AS350B
THE AIR TAXI PLT WAS RETURNING THE HELICOPTER TO ITS BASE CAMP AFTER TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS & PARTS TO A REMOTE DRILLING SITE IN RURAL ALASKA. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE ROCK FACE OF A 3900 FT RIDGE AT THE 3500 FT LEVEL. THE WX IN THE AREA WAS RPRTD TO BE OVERCAST BTN 3000 & 3500 FT MSL WITH LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY RAIN. THE PLT HAD AN INSTRUMENT RATING FOR AIRPLANES, BUT NOT FOR HELICOPTERS. HE WAS RPRTDLY IN THE HABIT OF FLYING OVER THE RIDGES, WHEN WX PERMITTED, TO MINIMIZE FLT TIME, INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING LOWER TERRAIN IN NEARBY VALLEYS.
THE PILOT CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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