Investigation Summary
The accident occurred during the final ski run of the day. According to the sole survivor, the pilot attempted to land on a ridgeline but aborted for a second attempt. During this second approach, rotor wash recirculated light snow, creating a whiteout (a 'little white room') that obscured all external visual references. The helicopter drifted backward and impacted the steep terrain. The NTSB found that the operator, Soloy Helicopters, had delegated flight-locating responsibilities to Tordrillo Mountain Lodge without proper FAA documentation. When the helicopter's tracking signal stopped at 18:36, a series of erroneous reports—including a mistaken claim that the aircraft was 'inbound'—prevented the timely activation of emergency protocols. Rescue personnel did not arrive on site until nearly six hours after the crash. Medical evidence and court filings suggested that at least two victims, including Petr Kellner, survived the initial impact but succumbed to their injuries and hypothermia during the prolonged wait for rescue.
Final Conclusions
The NTSB determined the probable cause was the pilot's failure to adequately respond to whiteout conditions, resulting in a collision with terrain. Contributing factors included the operator's inadequate training program regarding inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC) and the FAA's insufficient oversight of the operator. The NTSB also noted that the delayed notification of search and rescue organizations contributed to the severity of the surviving passenger's injuries and the fatalities of those who survived the initial impact.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Pilot Zachary Russell was considered competent by the operator but lacked documented IIMC and ridgeline training for the AS350 B3.
Systems & Failure Modes
Flight-Locating / Flight-Following
The operator failed to document the delegation of flight-locating to the lodge in their FAA-approved manuals, leading to confusion during the emergency.
IIMC Training
The pilot had not received adequate training in Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions, which is critical for recovering from whiteout-induced spatial disorientation.
Interesting Facts
- 01The helicopter rolled between 800 and 900 feet downhill after the initial impact.
- 02The sole survivor, David Horváth, suffered severe frostbite and lost several fingers due to the 6-hour wait for rescue.
- 03Toxicology reports for the senior lead ski guide showed the presence of amphetamine and cocaine; however, the NTSB could not definitively determine if this impairment contributed to the accident sequence.
- 04The FAA inspector responsible for Soloy Helicopters was a former chief pilot for the company, raising questions about oversight independence.
- 05A wrongful death lawsuit resulted in a $74.7 million award in 2026, with the jury finding the lodge, the operator, and the guiding company shared fault.
- 06The aircraft (MSN 4598) was manufactured in 2008.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Training Program Revision
The NTSB recommended that the FAA ensure Part 135 operators include specific IIMC recovery and ridgeline landing training in their approved curriculums.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Survivability and Rescue Delay
Reference ↗Court filings and the sole survivor alleged that Petr Kellner and another victim survived the initial crash but died from exposure and injuries because the lodge and operator delayed calling for rescue for over two hours.