# Accident 19980828022359A: Bolkms BK117A4, Topeka, KS, August 28, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 28, 1998, 10:53 local time
- Place: Topeka, KS
- Airport: Forbes Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9509° N, 95.6636° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9509&lon=-95.6636&mi=10
- Aircraft: N230H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N230H-1999-05-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BK 117 A-4 (registry code 5626017, https://openairdocs.org/model/messerschmitt-bolkow-blohm-bk-117-a-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOLKMS BK117A4
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,400 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA342) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980828022359A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

HELICOPTER WAS ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT WHEN IT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. UPON APPROACH TO (FOE) TAILROTOR DEPARTED AIRCRAFT. UPON INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LEFT HAND ENGINE COWLING HAD SEPERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND IMPACTED THE TAIL ROTOR. FAA ENGINEERING FROM DFW WAS ON SCENE AND ALSO ASSISTED IN THE INVESTIGATION. THIS IS EVIDENTLY NOT THE FIRST OCCURANCE FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA342), Aug 28, 1998: MBB BK-117 (N230H), Topeka, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to assure the engine cowling was secured during the aircraft preflight which resulted in the cowling separating from the helicopter and damaging the main rotor and tail rotor…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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