Accident to the helicopter AS350 registered C-FBLW and operated by TRK Helicopters on 16/03/2016 at Smithers [Investigation led by TSB / Canada]

Preliminary data based on the notification from the Canadian authorities:

The Airbus Helicopters AS350 BA helicopter, C-FBLW, was operated by TRK Helicopters under contract to SKEENA Heli-Ski from the Bear Creek Lodge about 82 NM NW of Smithers. The pilot was returning to base camp in the late afternoon with a full load of heli-skiers. The helicopter was on approach to a ridgeline and the pilot applied forward cyclic to descend steeply down a narrow valley. Shortly after initiating this manoeuver, the pilot attempted to turn the helicopter slightly to the left to correct the flight path as the helicopter was nearing the sharp rocky escarpment, but encountered difficulty in moving the cyclic stick to the left as the helicopter was moving to the right, accompanied with a pitch up of the nose. The helicopter main rotor over-speed horn was heard as the pilot continued to turn the helicopter to the right while attempting to arrest the descent. The helicopter impacted the steep terrain in compacted snow, about 180 degrees from its initial descent path, with the main rotor blades cutting a swath through the deep snowpack on the left side.