2021 Palmer, Alaska helicopter crash
| File:Soloy Helicopters N351SH.jpg
The helicopter involved in the accident
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| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | March 27, 2021 |
| Summary | Crashed to the ground; under investigation |
| Site | near Knik Glacier, Palmer, Alaska Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Passengers | 5 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Injuries (non-fatal) | 1 |
| Fatalities | 5 |
| Survivors | 1 |
| Aircraft type | Airbus AS350 B3 |
| Operator | Soloy Helicopters |
| Registration | N351SH |
On 27 March 2021, an Airbus AS350B3 helicopter crashed near the Knik Glacier, Palmer, Alaska. Five occupants died, including Czech billionaire entrepreneur Petr Kellner; one occupant survived.
Aircraft
The helicopter involved in the accident was an Airbus AS350B3, registration N351SH.[1]
Accident
On 27 March 2021, an Airbus AS350B3 helicopter crashed near the Knik Glacier, Palmer, Alaska during a heliskiing trip in Alaska's backcountry. Five occupants died, one survived. One of the victims was Czech billionaire entrepreneur Petr Kellner.[2][3]
The helicopter crashed into a mountain between Metal Creek and Grasshopper Valley at about 5,500 feet (1,700 m), 10 or 15 feet (3 or 4 m) from the top of the ridge, and rolled some 800 or 900 feet (240 or 270 m) downhill.[4] The missing helicopter was reported to the authorities two hours after the tracking signal stopped.[5]
Investigation
The wreckage was moved to Anchorage for investigation. A preliminary report on the accident was published 13 April 2021; according to the preliminary report, GPS data show the helicopter hovered at a low altitude and speed (about one knot, about 1 mph), maneuvering over the ridge in the last three minutes of the flight. It crashed at about 18:35 AKDT.[6]
According to court filings, Kellner survived the crash but “died while waiting for rescue,” while another victim is also believed to have survived initially; rescuers were informed about the overdue helicopter more than 2.5 hours after the crash.[7]
References
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