MBB BK 117A-3 N913EF

Summary

On 22 June 2006 at about 06:30 local time, a MBB BK 117A-3 registered N913EF, operated by Corporate Jets Inc, was involved in an accident near Ponce de Leon, Florida, United States. 3 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 June 2006 at 06:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Ponce de Leon, Florida, United States

Coordinates

30.8489, -85.6953

Aircraft

MBB BK 117A-3

Registration

N913EF

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Corporate Jets Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bonifay → Prosperity

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ANC06LA073

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from objects while hovering in ground effect, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree. Factors associated with the accident were loose, sand-covered terrain, and the operator's failure to ensure that the pilot was provided with current, off-airport landing site condition information.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was transporting two medical crewmembers under Title 14, CFR Part 91, to a prearranged landing site to meet ambulance and fire department personnel caring for a patient. The flight was conducted during dark night conditions. The accident helicopter had predetermined landing site locations stored in its onboard GPS navigation system. The stored landing sites had been previously inspected for obstruction clearance and overall suitability. After arriving overhead of what he thought was a sod-covered field, the pilot used an externally mounted searchlight to aid in seeing the ground and obstructions during the landing approach. As the helicopter approached the open field and transitioned from forward flight to a hover, the pilot encountered blowing, dry sand and dust created by the helicopter's main rotor downwash, which reduced his visibility. He stated he lost all visual reference with the surface of the field, and while attempting to regain a visual reference, the helicopter's main rotor struck a large tree, and the fuselage began to rotate. The helicopter's tail boom assembly subsequently struck the tree, and the helicopter impacted terrain. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system, tail boom assembly, and fuselage. A postaccident inspection of the landing site disclosed that the sod had recently been removed from the field, leaving a dry, sand-covered field. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.