# Incident 20040211001589I: Urocop EC120B, San Luis Obispo, CA, February 11, 2004

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 11, 2004, 11:30 local time
- Place: San Luis Obispo, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2662° N, 120.6684° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Luis Obispo, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2662&lon=-120.6684&mi=10
- Aircraft: N488SH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: UROCOP EC120B
- Reported engine: TMECA ARRIU2F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,050 total, 475 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040211001589I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT STATED WHILE GOING THROUGH THE START PROCEDURE THE STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. HE REMEMBERED THAT THERE IS A MICRO SWITCH ON THE ROTOR BRAKE THAT PREVENTS THE STARTER FROM ENGAGING WHEN THE ROTOR BRAKE IS NOT IN THE FULLY STOWED POSITION. EUROCOPTER HAS STATED THAT SOMETIMES THE MICRO SWITCH STICKS EVEN THOUGH THE ROTOR BRAKE HANDLE IS FULLY STOWED. USUALLY A LIGHT TAP ON THE SWITCH CURES THE PROBLEM. HE EXITED THE HELICOPTER, OPENED THE RIGHT TRANSMISSION COWLING (WHERE THE MICRO SWITCH IS LOCATED) AND TAPPED ON THE SWITCH. HE CLOSED THE COWLING WITHOUT LATCHING IT AND ENGAGED THE STARTER BUTTON TO SEE IF THAT FIXED IT. THE STARTER WORKED SO HE JUMPED IN AND COMPLETED THE START PROCEDURE. WHEN THEY WERE APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES NORTH WEST OF SAN LOUIS OBISPO AIRPORT (SBP), HE HEARD A "THUNK". HE LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND NOTICED WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE COWLING FLAPPING IN THE BREEZE. THE PILOT INITIATED AN "EMERGENCY" LANDING TO A HILLTOP AND SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE.

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.

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