EUROCOPTER AS350
Cultus Lake, February 17, 2012
Event Information
| Date | February 17, 2012 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| Location | Cultus Lake |
| Country | CA |
| Highest Injury | FATL |
| NTSB Number | CEN12RA186 |
| Event ID | 20120312X81134 |
Aircraft
| Make | EUROCOPTER |
| Model | AS350 |
| Registration # | CFMPG |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | NUSN |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | - |
| Weather | - |
Injuries
| Fatal | 1 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Full Narrative
On February 17, 2012, about 1350 pacific standard time, a Eurocopter AS350 B3, Canadian registration C-FMPG, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Cultus Lake, British Columbia, Canada. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
According to information provided by the Canadian government, the helicopter took off from a staging area with only the pilot on board. It was hovering about 80 feet above the ground when an abnormal noise was heard and a puff of smoke appeared to come from the engine. The helicopter descended, turned about 180 degrees, and crashed on the ground below. The pilot was fatally injured. There was no fire and the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) activated at impact.
This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Canada. Further information pertaining to his accident may be obtained from:
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
200 Promenade du Portage
Place du Centre
4th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 1K8
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.