THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A RESCUE/RECOVERY FLT FOR THE ALASKA STATE TROOPERS WITH THE PLT & A STATE TROOPER ON BOARD. THEY DEPARTED IN VARIABLE WX CONDITIONS TO RESCUE THE PLT OF ANOTHER ACFT. REPORTEDLY, SNOW WAS FALLING IN THE SEARCH AREA & THE WINDS WERE GUSTING BETWEEN 70 & 90 MPH. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE ENG FLAMED OUT DURING A TURN AT APRX 1000 FT AGL. HE BEGAN AN AUTOROTATION & TRANSMITTED A DISTRESS CALL. DURING AN APCH TO A FROZEN RIVER, HE ENCOUNTERED A TOTAL WHITEOUT CONDITION IN FOG & BLOWING SNOW AT APRX 75 TO 100 FT AGL. HE GUESSED AT THE ALT TO APPLY COLLECTIVE PITCH TO STOP THE DESCENT & SAID THAT HE EXPERIENCED VERTIGO DURING THE LAST PART OF THE DESCENT. THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A LEFT, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & ROLLED OVER. THE OCCUPANTS WERE UNABLE TO REACH THEIR SURVIVAL GEAR IN THE WRECKAGE. WX DELAY THEIR RESCUE & THE PASSENGER DIED FROM HYPOTHERMIA. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH PARTICLE SEPARATORS, BUT NO SNOW DEFLECTORS WERE INSTALLED. NO MECHANICAL ENG FAILURE WAS FOUND, BUT A COATING OF ICE WAS FOUND IN THE ENG INLET.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

AUTOROTATION..PERFORMED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..HIGH WIND

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..SNOW COVERED

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..GUSTS

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..FOG

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..SNOW

Contributing Factors

FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER..INITIATED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..WHITEOUT

Index for Jan1983 | Index of months