JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) 鈥 The probable cause of a heli-skiing crash in Alaska in 2021 that killed a Czech billionaire and four others was a failure by the pilot to adequately respond to whiteout conditions, a federal accident report released Wednesday concluded.
The report from the 香港六合彩挂牌资料 Transportation Safety Board found that an 鈥渋nadequate pilot training program鈥 by the helicopter operator and 鈥渋nsufficient oversight鈥 by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector were contributing factors.
One person survived the crash, and a delay in notifying search and rescue teams contributed to the severity of his injuries, which included 鈥渆xtensive frostbite damage to both hands,鈥 the report said.
, who at the time of the crash was the richest man in the Czech Republic, filed a lawsuit this year against the helicopter operator, Soloy Helicopters, and others, in state court.
Soloy representatives said the aircraft was under contract to Tordrillo Mountain Lodge to carry the group from a private home in Wasilla, north of Anchorage, to the Chugach Mountains for a heli-skiing trip, according to the report. Triumvirate LLC, which owns and operates Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, is also a defendant in the lawsuit.
Soloy Helicopters declined to comment, a spokesperson said in an email to The Associated Press. A message seeking comment also was sent to the FAA.
were Kellner, 56, and Benjamin Larochaix, 50, of the Czech Republic; guides Gregory Harms, 52, of Colorado, and Sean McManamy, 38, of Girdwood, Alaska; and pilot Zachary Russell, 33, from Anchorage. David Horvath, of the Czech Republic, survived. He also has filed a lawsuit related to the ordeal.
Horvath told investigators that before what was to be the last ski run of the day, Russell attempted to land on a ridgeline but the helicopter lifted off for an attempted second landing. During the second attempt, Horvath said, the snow was light but the helicopter became 鈥渆ngulfed in a fog which made it appear like a little white room,鈥 and subsequently, the aircraft hit the ridgeline and rolled downhill, according to the report.
Horvath also recalled another passenger yelling 鈥渄on't do it鈥 three times just before the crash.
鈥淭he passenger鈥檚 recollection of the conditions just before the accident was consistent with whiteout conditions caused by rotor wash while the helicopter was hovering near the ridgeline,鈥 the report said. 鈥淭hus, the pilot likely experienced whiteout conditions during the second landing attempt, which caused him to lose visual reference with the ridgeline and resulted in the helicopter impacting terrain.鈥
The NTSB report said Soloy had an "inadequate pilot training program and pilot competency checks,鈥 which it determined to be a contributing factor, along with 鈥渋nsufficient oversight of the operator鈥 by an FAA inspector that included 鈥渁pproval of the operator鈥檚 pilot training program without ensuring that it met requirements.鈥
The inspector had prior ties to Soloy, including as a former pilot, the report said. But the NTSB said there was insufficient evidence to determine whether the inspector's prior work history was a factor 鈥渋n the adequate oversight.鈥
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Thiessen reported from Anchorage.
