Whitehorse, YT – A helicopter crash near Whitehorse’s Erik Nielsen International Airport last spring that killed a pilot was caused by the aircraft losing lift during a training maneuver, the Transportation Safety Board says.
The Horizon Helicopters aircraft went down on May 2, 2025, about 10 kilometres east of the airport near Grey Mountain while practising an emergency landing procedure designed to teach pilots how to safely land if an engine fails.
Investigators say shifting winds caused the helicopter to descend into its own downwash, turbulent air pushed down by the rotors, leaving it unable to generate enough lift.
The training pilot tried to regain control, but the helicopter hit the ground, damaging the tail rotor and spinning onto its side. A rotor blade entered the cockpit, fatally injuring the pilot undergoing training. Both pilots were highly experienced.
After the crash, Horizon Helicopters required emergency training to be conducted at airports where wind conditions can be clearly observed.
