20010411006739I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Urocop EC135T1 · Washington, PA · April 11, 2001

Date: April 11, 2001 · 10:45 local
Place: Washington, PA
Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: BAQA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N522ME
Reported as: Urocop EC135T1
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,505 total75 in this make and model61 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.

(-23) The helicopter was idling on the helipad, and the RPM control was brought up to fly position for the takeoff. As the pilot applied collective pitch, and the a/c became light on its skids for liftoff, the pilot heard a "thumping" noise and felt a vibration. While still in contact with the surface the helicopter rotated to the right about 45 degrees and the pilot lowered the collective control and shut down the a/c.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE HELICOPTER WAS IDLING ON THE HELIPAD, AND THE RPM CONTROL WAS BROUGHT UP TO FLY POSITION FOR THE TAKEOFF. AS THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH, AND THE A/C BECAME LIGHT ON ITS SKIDS FOR LIFTOFF, THE PILOT HEARD A "THUMPING" NOISE AND FELT A VIBRATION. WHILE STILL IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE THE HELICOPTER ROTATED TO THE RIGHT ABOUT 45 DEGREES AND THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL AND SHUT DOWN THE A/C.