EUROCOPTER AS 350-B2, MEADVIEW, ARIZ., AUG. 10, 2001–At 2:28 p.m. MST Eurocopter helicopter N169PA, operating as Papillon 34, crashed during an uncontrolled descent about four miles east of Meadview. The helicopter was operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters as an air-tour flight under FAR Part 135. The instrument-rated commercial pilot and five passengers were killed, and one remaining passenger was seriously injured. The helicopter was destroyed in the accident. N169PA was on a VFR flight plan operating in VMC.
The flight originated from Papillon’s terminal at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) at about 12:45 p.m. as a tour of the west Grand Canyon area with a planned stop at a landing site in Quartermaster Canyon. The helicopter departed the landing site at about 2 p.m. and stopped at a company refueling facility at the Grand Canyon West Airport. It then departed the fuel facility at 2:20 p.m. and was en route back to Las Vegas when the accident occurred.
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