20050922025939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bolkms BK117B2 · Columbus, OH · September 22, 2005

Date: September 22, 2005 · 14:05 local
Place: Columbus, OH
Airport: Ohio State University
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N117MK
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC05LA145
Reported as: Bolkms BK117B2
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,400 total2,286 in this make and model63 in the last 90 days

N117MKRegistered now · Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117-B2S/N 7196 · Built 1989 Airframe modelEurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117-B2 Engine modelLycoming LTS-101 seriesTurbo-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 helicopter made a hard landing. A witness reported "I noticed a med flight helicopter approaching the airport from the southeast. The bk 117 started a fast steep approach from the southeast corner of the airport and appeared to be shooting his approach to or near the med flight ramp. As the bk 117 got approx. 100 ft AGL, still on a nw heading, it started to flare to slow the descent rate. The helicopter continued to descend to the ground and as it did it made a hard right turn to an east-southeast heading, striking the ground (main rotor blades & right skid) coming to rest in the grass just off the southeast corner of the guard ramp."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING. A WITNESS REPORTED "I NOTICED A MED FLIGHT HELICOPTER APPROACHING THE AIRPORT FROM THE SOUTHEAST. THE BK 117 STARTED A FAST STEEP APPROACH FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE AIRPORT AND APPEARED TO BE SHOOTING HIS APPROACH TO OR NEAR THE MED FLIGHT RAMP. AS THE BK 117 GOT APPROX. 100 FT AGL, STILL ON A NW HEADING, IT STARTED TO FLARE TO SLOW THE DESCENT RATE. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO DESCEND TO THE GROUND AND AS IT DID IT MADE A HARD RIGHT TURN TO AN EAST-SOUTHEAST HEADING, STRIKING THE GROUND (MAIN ROTOR BLADES & RIGHT SKID) COMING TO REST IN THE GRASS JUST OFF THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE GUARD RAMP."

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 NYC05LA145Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportColumbus, OHThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor associated with this accident was a tailwind.Sep 22, 2005 · Substantial damage