Bell 206 N595AE

Summary

On 17 March 2009 at about 06:38 local time, a Bell 206 registered N595AE, operated by Air Evac EMS, Inc., was involved in an incident near Springfield, Illinois, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 March 2009 at 06:38

Classification

Incident

Location

Springfield, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Company Helipad (AE25)

Coordinates

39.5891, -89.5801

Aircraft

Bell 206

Registration

N595AE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Air Evac EMS, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Johns Hospi → Springfield

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN09IA222

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the parked helicopter.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was returning to the company helipad when he was told by another on duty pilot on the ground to refuel at a south fuel tank because the north fuel tank was empty. A helicopter was parked at the northeast end of the helipad. The pilot said that he attempted to get close to the south fuel tank for the fuel hose to reach the helicopter so that he wouldn't have to pull out the full length of the hose. As he brought the helicopter into a hover, its main rotor blades stuck the main rotor blades of the parked helicopter. The pilot said that there was good visibility and a lot of lights in the area. The on duty pilot said that he was going to ground guide the helicopter but that his radio battery lost power and was unable to do so.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.