# Accident 19990411003549A: Bolkms BK117A3, Sarasota-Brand, FL, April 11, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 11, 1999, 16:45 local time - Place: Sarasota-Brand, FL - Airport: Sarasota-Brandenton Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Hovering - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: R7MA - Location: 27.4099° N, 82.5558° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from the FAA’s distance and direction from , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4099&lon=-82.5558&mi=10 - Aircraft: N163BK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N163BK-2015-12-07) (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) - Registry engine: Lycoming LTS-101 series (registry code 41560, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-lts-101-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOLKMS BK117A3 - Reported engine: LYC LTS101650B1 - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 4,122 total, 120 in this make and model, 49 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA129) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990411003549A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIR AIR AMBULANCE (A BOKOW BK-117A-3 HELICOPTER) TAIL RUDDER STRUCK A BUILDING ON TAKE-OFF, AND THE ACFT CRASHED, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO THE 3 POB, THE AIRCRAFT HAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19) ON APRIL 11, 1999, ABOUT 1645 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A MBB BK 117 A-3, N163BK, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS, LLC, AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 EMS POSITIONING FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING WHILE HOVERING IN PREPARATION FOR TAKEOFF AT SARASOTA/BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SARASOTA, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND TWO MEDICAL PERSONNEL FLIGHTCREW MEMBERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THEY WERE ON A EMS FLIGHT TO CHARLOTTE COUNTY AIRPORT, PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA, TO PICK UP A PATIENT. HE AND THE OTHER FLIGHTCREW MEMBERS BOARDED THE HELICOPTER AND HE LIFTED IT INTO A HOVER FACING SOUTH. HE CALLED THE FAA SARASOTA CONTROL TOWER FOR DEPARTURE CLEARANCE AND THE CONTROLLER ASKED HIM TO HOLD FOR LANDING TRAFFIC. THE CONTROLLER THEN ASKED IF HE COULD SEE THE LANDING TRAFFIC. HE MOVED THE HELICOPTER TO THE EAST, LOOKING FOR THE TRAFFIC. HE THEN HEARD AND FELT A "THUD" FOLLOWED A SECOND LATER BY THREE MORE "THUDS". IT APPEARS THE HELICOPTER HAD DRIFTED BACK AND THE TAIL ROTOR HAD CONTACTED THE HANGAR. HE MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER AWAY FROM THE CULVERT AND LANDED NEXT TO HIS ORIGINAL PARKING SPOT. AFTER EXITING THE HELICOPTER HE NOTICED THE TAIL ROTOR WAS DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE LANDING GEAR. THE HANGAR ALSO HAD A 3-FOOT BY 3-FOOT HOLE IN IT.(.4) ON APRIL 11, 1999, ABOUT 1645 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A MBB BK 117 A-3, N163BK, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS, LLC, AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 EMS POSITIONING FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING WHILE HOVERING IN PREPARATION FOR TAKEOFF AT SARASOTA/BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SARASOTA, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND TWO MEDICAL PERSONNEL FLIGHTCREW MEMBERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THEY WERE ON AN EMS FLIGHT TO CHARLOTTE COUNTY AIRPORT, PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA, TO PICK UP A PATIENT. HE AND THE OTHER FLIGHTCREW MEMBERS BOARDED THE HELICOPATER AND HE LIFTED IT INTO A HOVER FACING SOUTH. HE CALLED THE FAA SARASOTA CONTROL TOWER FOR DEPARTURE CLEARANCE AND THE CONTROLLER ASKED HIM TO HOLD FOR LANDING TRAFFIC. THE CONTROLLER THEN ASKED IF HE COULD SEE THE LANDING TRAFFIC. HE MOVED THE HELICOPTER TO THE EAST, LOOKING FOR THE TRAFFIC. HE THEN HEARD AND FELT A "THUD" FOLLOWED A SECOND LATER BY THREE MORE "THUDS". IT APPEARS THE HELICOPTER HAD DRIFTED BACK THE TAIL ROTOR HAD CONTACTED THE HANGAR. HE MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER AWAY FROM A CULVERT AND LANDED NEXT TO HIS ORIGINAL PARKING SPOT. AFTER EXITING THE HELICOPTER, HE NOTICED THE TAIL ROTOR WAS DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE LANDING GEAR. THE HANGAR ALSO HAD A 3-FOOT BY 3-FOOT HOLE IN IT. (-23)ON APRIL 11, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 1645 LOCAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A MBB BK 177 A-3 HELICOPTER, N163BK, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 EMS POSITIONING FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING WHILE HOVERING, IN PREPERATION FOR A TAKEOFF AT SARASOTA/BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SRQ), SARASOTA, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL C ONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND COMPANT FLIGHT FOLLOWING WAS IN AFFECT. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE AND THE COMMERICAL RATED PILOT AND TWO MEDICAL PERSONNEL FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 MIA99LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA129), Apr 11, 1999: Mbb BK 117 A-3 (N163BK), Sarasota, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain a visual lookout while maneuvering in a hover resulting in the tail rotor colliding with a building. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.