On 27 March 2021, an Airbus AS350B3 helicopter crashed near the Knik Glacier, Palmer, Alaska.

[4][5] According to court filings, Kellner survived the crash and lived for two more hours but “died while waiting for rescue,” while another victim is also believed to have survived initially; rescuers were informed about the overdue helicopter more than 2.5 hours after the crash.

A preliminary report on the accident was published 13 April 2021; according to the preliminary report, GPS data show the helicopter hovered at a low altitude and speed (about one knot, about 1 mph), maneuvering over the ridge in the last three minutes of the flight.

[10] According to the final report,[11] the probable cause of the incident was "the pilot’s failure to adequately respond to an encounter with whiteout conditions"; contributing to the accident was:

Contributing to the severity of the surviving passenger’s injuries was the delayed notification of search and rescue organizations.