2 hours lapsed between last signal and overdue report on fatal Alaska helicopter flight
Apr. 1—The helicopter that crashed Saturday evening in the
Now investigators are looking into why that was and whether anyone else aboard may have survived, at least initially. They will also examine weather conditions, pilot experience and history, and the airworthiness of the helicopter.
The crash of the Airbus AS350B3 about 21 miles southeast of
The helicopter crashed at about 5,500 feet and then rolled 800 or 900 feet downhill, federal investigators say.
Killed were 33-year-old pilot
The survivor, 48-year-old Czech snowboarder David Horváth, remained in serious condition at
The group was on a half-day heli-skiing expedition in the steep backcountry above
Fatal crashes are rare in the heli-ski industry. A
Preliminary information indicates the heli-ski operators didn't realize there was a problem until two hours after the satellite tracking signal stopped, authorities say.
That does not necessarily indicate anyone did anything wrong, said
The wreckage remains in the mountains, where rugged terrain and bad weather are complicating efforts to recover it. The
Soloy, through its insurance company, is responsible for lifting the wreckage off the mountain, Johnson said.
During the trip Soloy was operating under Part 135 of federal aviation code, which requires either a flight plan to be filed or the use of electronics to keep track of an aircraft carrying passengers, Johnson said.
"Our investigators ... will be looking at that, we always look at that, that's very standard," he said, cautioning the public against jumping to conclusions about what the tracking information means. "Let us get the details. We've only provided just a small snippet."
A spokesman for Soloy in a statement Tuesday said the company would have no additional comment due to the active investigation.
"
It's not yet clear what protocols Soloy and the lodge use to track their helicopters.
Another
The helicopter left from
It wasn't immediately clear why the group wasn't picked up at the lodge.
Kellner and Larochaix were frequent guests at the lodge, a representative said after the crash.
A spokesperson for the lodge did not respond to additional questions this week.
"Please be mindful that information at this time is limited and more information will be provided once the authorities in
The helicopter's last signal from the on-board satellite tracking system came at
But Soloy didn't report the helicopter missing until two hours later, around
Information from his interview indicated no one was aware the track had stopped, he said. "All I know is when they noticed it was overdue."
Johnson said he can't speculate as to whether anyone was able to survive the crash besides Horváth.
"We're going to be looking at that," he said. "Until we actually talk to the survivor and talk to the medical examiner we just don't know."
A rescue team got to the crash site by
They found Horváth alive inside the helicopter, according to
The body of the pilot, Russell, was located outside the helicopter, Zerkel said. Authorities would not say whether it appeared he was thrown or left the wreckage on his own.
At 8:15 Sunday morning, the volunteer members of the
They had to move quickly. The weather was supposed to start degrading by
An avalanche specialist with the group rode with Johnson in a troopers helicopter. They overflew the crash site around
The eight-member
The team spent about 90 minutes at the site carefully moving the crash victims into one of the helicopters, he said. Then they got into the other helicopter for the trip back down out of the mountains.
"We do our best to be respectful knowing that these are people's family members," Mullin said. "We've got very caring people that we send out on these missions. And it's tough on them."
The men's bodies were transported to the State Medical Examiner Office.
The crash sent shock waves around the world and throughout the outdoor community.
Kellner was a billionaire businessman and financier with a net worth over
Benjamin Larochaix, 50, was an experienced snowboarder from
Harms, an internationally renowned big-mountain guide based in
McManamy, a longtime guide based in
A fundraising site set up for Russell described heli-skiing with Soloy as "his ultiimate goal ... Zach had the warmest smile, an infectious laugh and was loved by all who met him. He will be remembered as a loyal, loving, kind and generous son, brother, fiancé and friend."
Professional snowboarder
He called Kellner a passionate snowboarder who loved talking about his family.
"Please send some love to their families and friends who must be shattered right now," Rice wrote. "And PLEASE send some healing energy to my friend
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