20080530842569A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Urocop EC 135 P2+ · Pottsville, PA · May 30, 2008

Date: May 30, 2008 · 21:08 local
Place: Pottsville, PA
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: QMLA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N238AM
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC08FA198
Reported as: Urocop EC135P2+
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PW206B2
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,000 total125 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N238AMRegistration cancelled Oct 29, 2008 · Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2+S/N 0565 · Built 2007 Airframe modelEurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2+Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PW206BTurbo-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) Shortly after lift-off, at approaximately 75 to 100 ft (as stated by the PIC), the nr 2 engine lost power. The helicopter descended into the loading dock area of united metal, located approximately 200 ft forward and 100 ft below the heliport. The helicopter landed firmly then began to spin to the right. The tail rotor contacted the resting supports of a 53' trailer, positioned on the dock for unloading. The tail rotor separated from the aircraft and the left skid support structure collapsed. The main rotor contacted the pavement and the top of the trailer and was completely destroyed. Only shreds of all four main rotor blades were left on the hub. The PIC was not able to select either power management switch (pms) to "off". The flight crew evacuated the aircraft with minor injuries. When the fire department arrived on the scene they sprayed water/foam into the nr 1 engine, to shut the engine down. The aircraft was destroyed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, AT APPROAXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FT (AS STATED BY THE PIC), THE NR 2 ENGINE LOST POWER. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED INTO THE LOADING DOCK AREA OF UNITED METAL, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 200 FT FORWARD AND 100 FT BELOW THE HELIPORT. THE HELICOPTER LANDED FIRMLY THEN BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE RESTING SUPPORTS OF A 53' TRAILER, POSITIONED ON THE DOCK FOR UNLOADING. THE TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE LEFT SKID SUPPORT STRUCTURE COLLAPSED. THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED THE PAVEMENT AND THE TOP OF THE TRAILER AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. ONLY SHREDS OF ALL FOUR MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE LEFT ON THE HUB. THE PIC WAS NOT ABLE TO SELECT EITHER POWER MANAGEMENT SWITCH (PMS) TO "OFF". THE FLIGHT CREW EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON THE SCENE THEY SPRAYED WATER/FOAM INTO THE NR 1 ENGINE, TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

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 NYC08FA198Accident · Minor injuriesField investigationFinal reportPottsville, PAThe pilot’s failure to ensure that both engine switches were in the FLIGHT position for takeoff.May 31, 2008 · Substantial damage