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19990219012989I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Bell 407 · February 19, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

Date
February 19, 1999 · 15:30 local
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N585MC
Reported as
Bell 407
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0

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.

(Dean hennies) this is the letter you requested 2-23-99 in reference a bird strike occurring on 2-19-99 around 1530 hours local time. On this date/ti me I was acting as PIC of N585MC a Bell 407 model helicopter, operated under part 91 by the maricopa county sheriff's office. While enroute to a call of a wild fire near tortilla ranch we were in cruise flight at approximately 115 KTS. On a heading of 100 degrees near canyon lake. Our above ground altitude was 600-500 feet aver s.r. 88 near the tortilla flats restaurant. This is when a small bird struck the lower right portion of the left windscreen. The bird penetrated the windscreen and some small pieces struck deputy galen riefschneider who was my observer that day and was riding in the left front seat. A very minute particle of what was believed to be plexiglas came up into my helmet/faceshield and into my left eye. Neither of us sustained any injuries from the strike. The aircraft was flown to the nearest suitable landing area at lake saguaro and our maintenance dept. Was notified along with your office. After the mechanic arrived on scene he deemed the helicopter airworthy for a flight to our base at deervalley airport.

As the FAA filed it

(DEAN HENNIES) THIS IS THE LETTER YOU REQUESTED 2-23-99 IN REFERENCE A BIRD STRIKE OCCURRING ON 2-19-99 AROUND 1530 HOURS LOCAL TIME. ON THIS DATE/TI ME I WAS ACTING AS PIC OF N585MC A BELL 407 MODEL HELICOPTER, OPERATED UNDER PART 91 BY THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WHILE ENROUTE TO A CALL OF A WILD FIRE NEAR TORTILLA RANCH WE WERE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 115 KTS. ON A HEADING OF 100 DEGREES NEAR CANYON LAKE. OUR ABOVE GROUND ALTITUDE WAS 600-500 FEET AVER S.R. 88 NEAR THE TORTILLA FLATS RESTAURANT. THIS IS WHEN A SMALL BIRD STRUCK THE LOWER RIGHT PORTION OF THE LEFT WINDSCREEN. THE BIRD PENETRATED THE WINDSCREEN AND SOME SMALL PIECES STRUCK DEPUTY GALEN RIEFSCHNEIDER WHO WAS MY OBSERVER THAT DAY AND WAS RIDING IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT. A VERY MINUTE PARTICLE OF WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE PLEXIGLAS CAME UP INTO MY HELMET/FACESHIELD AND INTO MY LEFT EYE. NEITHER OF US SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES FROM THE STRIKE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE LANDING AREA AT LAKE SAGUARO AND OUR MAINTENANCE DEPT. WAS NOTIFIED ALONG WITH YOUR OFFICE. AFTER THE MECHANIC ARRIVED ON SCENE HE DEEMED THE HELICOPTER AIRWORTHY FOR A FLIGHT TO OUR BASE AT DEERVALLEY AIRPORT.