Probable cause
The pilot's delay in initiating a climb while he was packing snow with the airplane's skis in preparation for landing, resulting in a collision with brush.
NTSB analysis
The airline transport pilot was on an on-demand air taxi passenger flight in a ski-equipped airplane. The pilot said that the accident occurred while he was packing snow at the landing site by laying down tracks with the airplane's skis in preparation for landing. During the last pass, he said that as the airplane lifted off the snow, the wings encountered high brush; when he pulled back on the elevator control to clear the brush, he said that he believed that the tail ski contacted the snow and dragged the airplane down into the brush. The pilot said that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The fuselage and empennage sustained structural damage during the encounter with brush and terrain.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC09LA023 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 14, 2009
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Healy, Alaska
- Nearest airport
- Stampede (Z90)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Helio H-295
- N-number
- N6478V
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 135 (charter and commuter)
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.