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20080421831499I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Urocop EC 130 B4 · London, KY · April 21, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 21, 2008 · 13:00 local
Place
London, KY
Airport
London-Corbin Airport-Magee Fld
Phase of flight
To Running(Helicopter/Vtol Ac)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
QMLA
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N133LN
Reported as
Urocop EC130B4
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
8,600 total200 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days
N133LNRegistered now · Eurocopter EC 130 B4S/N 3983 · Built 2005Airframe modelEurocopter EC 130 B4Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-2B1Turbo-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) Dual controls were installed in the aircraft and the check airman was giving a 6 month check ride. Both pilots performed the walkaround preflight of the aircraft. They stated "all cowling was closed at that time." The pilot receiving instruction got in the aircraft and after that he said "the check pilot told him he noted some oil on the transmission deck under the input quill and needed to wipe it up before they flew." The check pilot verified during the interview that he opened the r.h. transmission cowl and wiped the oil off the deck. He also said "he was sure he closed the cowling back, but knowing how those cowling latches are designed it would be very hard for the cowling to come open if they were latched." The check pilot also stated he received two phone calls and had to go back inside to get current approach plates prior to takeoff." Just after takeoff at an altitude of approx 75 to 100 feet and at an airspeed of 50 to 60 KTS both pilots heard & felt a loud bang then smaller impact noises. There was a clear field in front of him so pilot receiving instruction landed the helicopter safely. The check pilot got out and saw that the r.h. transmission cowling was damaged and open.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DUAL CONTROLS WERE INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE CHECK AIRMAN WAS GIVING A 6 MONTH CHECK RIDE. BOTH PILOTS PERFORMED THE WALKAROUND PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THEY STATED "ALL COWLING WAS CLOSED AT THAT TIME." THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION GOT IN THE AIRCRAFT AND AFTER THAT HE SAID "THE CHECK PILOT TOLD HIM HE NOTED SOME OIL ON THE TRANSMISSION DECK UNDER THE INPUT QUILL AND NEEDED TO WIPE IT UP BEFORE THEY FLEW." THE CHECK PILOT VERIFIED DURING THE INTERVIEW THAT HE OPENED THE R.H. TRANSMISSION COWL AND WIPED THE OIL OFF THE DECK. HE ALSO SAID "HE WAS SURE HE CLOSED THE COWLING BACK, BUT KNOWING HOW THOSE COWLING LATCHES ARE DESIGNED IT WOULD BE VERY HARD FOR THE COWLING TO COME OPEN IF THEY WERE LATCHED." THE CHECK PILOT ALSO STATED HE RECEIVED TWO PHONE CALLS AND HAD TO GO BACK INSIDE TO GET CURRENT APPROACH PLATES PRIOR TO TAKEOFF." JUST AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX 75 TO 100 FEET AND AT AN AIRSPEED OF 50 TO 60 KTS BOTH PILOTS HEARD & FELT A LOUD BANG THEN SMALLER IMPACT NOISES. THERE WAS A CLEAR FIELD IN FRONT OF HIM SO PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION LANDED THE HELICOPTER SAFELY. THE CHECK PILOT GOT OUT AND SAW THAT THE R.H. TRANSMISSION COWLING WAS DAMAGED AND OPEN.