20030515010309A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Agusta A109E · Harbor Creek, PA · May 15, 2003

Date: May 15, 2003 · 08:15 local
Place: Harbor Creek, PA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: BAQA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7YL
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC03LA110
Reported as: Agusta A109E
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,620 total120 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

N7YLRegistration cancelled May 10, 2013 · Agusta A109ES/N 11502 · Built 2001 Airframe modelAgusta A109E Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIUS-2K1Turbo-shaft

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 pilot wrote, "while leveling off at 700 ft AGL I felt a vibration in the rotor system. After confirming all control responses were normal, I executed an uneventful precautionary landing to an open field. After shutdown, I found damage to the leading edge of the tail rotor and a dent in a main rotor blade. After some on-the-spot investigating, it was determined the damage was caused by a flashlight that was left on the outside of the aircraft. The flashlight was never found."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT WROTE, "WHILE LEVELING OFF AT 700 FT AGL I FELT A VIBRATION IN THE ROTOR SYSTEM. AFTER CONFIRMING ALL CONTROL RESPONSES WERE NORMAL, I EXECUTED AN UNEVENTFUL PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. AFTER SHUTDOWN, I FOUND DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE TAIL ROTOR AND A DENT IN A MAIN ROTOR BLADE. AFTER SOME ON-THE-SPOT INVESTIGATING, IT WAS DETERMINED THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY A FLASHLIGHT THAT WAS LEFT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLASHLIGHT WAS NEVER FOUND."

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC03LA110Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHarbor Creek, PAThe pilot's improper preflight inspection, during which he failed to remove a flashlight from the tailboom strake. A factor was the pilot's attention be diverted by a mechanic during the preflight inspection.May 15, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7YL · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20051007027709AFinal Approach · Smethport, PA(-23) Further investigation by this office revealed that on October 7, 2005, at 2342 eastern daylight time, an augusta 109E, N7YL, operated by cj systems incorporated, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain in Smethport, Pennsylvania, while…Oct 7, 2005 · Destroyed · 1 fatal