19990126015169I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Bolkms BK117B2 · AZ · January 26, 1999

Date: January 26, 1999 · 10:55 local
Place: AZ
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: HEEA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N134AE
Reported as: Bolkms BK117B2
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,072 total54 in this make and model24 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Enroute to pick up patient at hospital, pilot felt what he thought was turbulence followed by a rushing air noise. Pilot slowed aircraft and checked aircraft for cause of noise. Pilot & crew continued to destination and afte r landing, found that the #2 engine cowls had departed the aircraft cause minor damage to rotor blades. Further investigation by company personnel, revealed that the pilot did not properly secure the engine cowling on preflight.

As the FAA filed it

ENROUTE TO PICK UP PATIENT AT HOSPITAL, PILOT FELT WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS TURBULENCE FOLLOWED BY A RUSHING AIR NOISE. PILOT SLOWED AIRCRAFT AND CHECKED AIRCRAFT FOR CAUSE OF NOISE. PILOT & CREW CONTINUED TO DESTINATION AND AFTE R LANDING, FOUND THAT THE #2 ENGINE COWLS HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT CAUSE MINOR DAMAGE TO ROTOR BLADES. FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY COMPANY PERSONNEL, REVEALED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT PROPERLY SECURE THE ENGINE COWLING ON PREFLIGHT.