Two rescue helicopters crash while searching for another
At midday on September 10, 1999, a Temsco Helicopters, Inc. flight-seeing helicopter had just
finished its second glacier landing in the Juneau Ice Field with five flight-seeing passengers. The
aircraft was flying through a mountainous valley where radio signals were blocked. After lifting off
from 5,270 feet, and on its way back to the Juneau Airport, the pilot encountered a localized light
snow shower, and "flat light conditions" that momentarily reduced his forward visibility. The pilot
later reported that,
'The visibility got to a point where I was unable to discern any topographic features, only a
dark shape on the horizon.' He added that 'flat light conditions' contributed to his inability to
recognize any topographical features on the ice surface. The helicopter continued to
descend, struck the snow-covered ice field, slid about 150 feet, and nosed over."
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The pilot had slowed the helicopter from 100 knots to 75 knots prior to striking the snow-covered
ice field. Although the helicopter was destroyed on a 150-foot long wreckage path, the pilot and
passengers all survived. The crash destroyed the ELT antennae, making the radio and ELT
inoperable.
Using an unusual amount of ingenuity, the subjects attempted to build an igloo. Using a
Rubbermaid plastic container they found in the helicopter's cargo bin, they compacted snow into
bricks and built an igloo. Not realizing that the igloo needed ventilation, they found themselves
subjects of massive amounts of melting snow while inside. The dripping water drenched them,
and they retreated to the broken fuselage for a dry shelter.
Realizing that one of their helicopters was overdue, the base manager contacted other aircraft in
the area. Another helicopter company, with an FAA check pilot on board, spotted the missing
helicopter on the ice through the approaching storm. Seeing all 6 passengers standing outside
the helicopter, the pilot radioed that they appeared to be all right and it looked like they had "a
mechanical". What he thought was the rotors of the aircraft were actually the skids of the
overturned helicopter.
Based on that information, the base manager dispatched a small utility helicopter with a pilot and a
mechanic to the scene. This aircraft encountered the exact "flat light" circumstances as the first
aircraft, and hit the snow as it searched for the first crash site.
"The pilot added that just seconds before the impact, he thought the helicopter was at least
500 feet above the surface. He said that 'flat light conditions' made it very difficult to see
the topographical features of the ice field below. The helicopter struck the snow-covered
ice field, slid about 75 feet, and the helicopter rolled over to the right."
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Both escaped unhurt. The crash sites were in a deep glacier valley at 5600'. The mountains
again blocked radio signals.
With no way to contact the second aircraft, the base manager waited for 30 minutes and then
dispatched a third utility helicopter to support the other 2. The third helicopter found and picked up
the pilot and mechanic of the second crashed helicopter. At that time, they all elected to search for
the original missing helicopter. The third helicopter also encountered the same "flat light"
conditions and struck the unseen snow-covered ice field in full view of the first survivors. It slid
about 50 feet, nosed over, and rolled to the left. The pilot:
