What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On November 9, 2007 in Morristown Tennessee (mor) a Bell helicopter BHT-407 with a registration number 555BH was being operated by registered owner logan & kanawha coal company LLC. The pilot, a company pilot for 25 years, was flying the ceo and his wife. Upon landing the pilot left the helicopter at flight idle, a common practice according to the ceo, exited the aircraft and assisted in carrying luggage. When the pilot returned to the helicopter he was struck in the face by two of the four main rotor blades. Investigation revealed that no friction was applied to the cyclic friction lock and the hydraulic switch was in the off position. The ceo stated that the pilot often shut down the hydraulics upon landing. The wind was approximately 10 knots quartering tail wind and the aircraft was sitting on the tarmac with a 3 degree slope. The helicopter was equipped with low skids. Further investigation revealed the rotor blades could have dipped as low as 67 inches from the surface in front of the helicopter. The pilot was 70 inches tall.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON NOVEMBER 9, 2007 IN MORRISTOWN TENNESSEE (MOR) A BELL HELICOPTER BHT-407 WITH A REGISTRATION NUMBER 555BH WAS BEING OPERATED BY REGISTERED OWNER LOGAN & KANAWHA COAL COMPANY LLC. THE PILOT, A COMPANY PILOT FOR 25 YEARS, WAS FLYING THE CEO AND HIS WIFE. UPON LANDING THE PILOT LEFT THE HELICOPTER AT FLIGHT IDLE, A COMMON PRACTICE ACCORDING TO THE CEO, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND ASSISTED IN CARRYING LUGGAGE. WHEN THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE HELICOPTER HE WAS STRUCK IN THE FACE BY TWO OF THE FOUR MAIN ROTOR BLADES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT NO FRICTION WAS APPLIED TO THE CYCLIC FRICTION LOCK AND THE HYDRAULIC SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE CEO STATED THAT THE PILOT OFTEN SHUT DOWN THE HYDRAULICS UPON LANDING. THE WIND WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS QUARTERING TAIL WIND AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SITTING ON THE TARMAC WITH A 3 DEGREE SLOPE. THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH LOW SKIDS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ROTOR BLADES COULD HAVE DIPPED AS LOW AS 67 INCHES FROM THE SURFACE IN FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT WAS 70 INCHES TALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.