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ANC23LA085

2023-09-16 · Johnson River, Alaska, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N297SH

Make / Model
EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A31113

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The ground crew’s failure to remain clear of a tag line during sling load operations, resulting in his entanglement.

Factual narrative

The operator reported that during a sling load operation, one of the ground crew became entangled in a tag line as the helicopter began to lift the load. He was dragged across the deck, freed himself, and subsequently fell to the ground. In the operators written statement, it was noted the ground crew member was initially hidden from the pilot’s view as he began to lift the sling load. The helicopter was not damaged, but the ground crew personnel sustained serious injuries. The operator reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Ground equipment-Contributed to outcome
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of policy/procedure-Ground crew

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_ANC23LA085.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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