Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2 N455MH

Summary

On 24 July 2012 at about 11:08 local time, a Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2 registered N455MH, operated by Memorial Hermann Hospital System, was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 July 2012 at 11:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Houston, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

John S Dunn Helistop (38TE)

Coordinates

29.7078, -95.3906

Aircraft

Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2

Registration

N455MH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Memorial Hermann Hospital System

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Katy → Houston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN12CA474

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to detect the unsecured cowling latches and resulted in the in-flight opening of an engine cowling.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The emergency medical services helicopter was about 800 feet above ground level and landing at a rooftop hospital helipad in a congested metropolitan area when the left side engine cowling opened. The cowling partially separated and impacted the bottom of all four main rotor blades, resulting in substantial damage to the rotor blades. The pilot described the event as a brief shudder, like flying through the rotor wash of another helicopter. The pilot was unaware that any damage had occurred and landed uneventfully. A third medical crewmember boarded through the right rear door for a local flight to a suburban hospital. During engine shutdown at their destination, another medical crewmember exited the helicopter on the left side and was the first to notice the damage. The pilot stated that he failed to complete a thorough preflight inspection before the accident flight, because the crew was assigned a medical mission just after their shift started. The previous pilot, who flew the helicopter the evening before the accident, stated that he had opened the left side engine cowling to check the oil level and became distracted. He also stated that he could not remember if he had secured the cowling latches.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.