20091206053779A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aerospatial AS 355F1 · Grand Canyon, AZ · December 6, 2009

Date
December 6, 2009 · 11:00 local
Place
Grand Canyon, AZ
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
S9HA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N548SA
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR10LA075
Reported as
Aerospatial AS 355F1
Reported engine
Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard
7
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
3,000 total400 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

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.

Airman failed to secure the latches which secure the left hand engine compartment door. Aircraft departed las airport on a 14 CFR part 135 air tour to the Grand Canyon. While enroute to the Canyon at approximately bonnelli bay, the engine compartment door flew up into the main rotor system causing substantial damage to the main rotor blades, and also destroyed the engine cowling door. The pilot made an emergency landing to a remote site and landed safely. Operator dispatched another helicopter with mechanic onboard. The pilot and mechanic elected to fly this aircraft from it's present location to boulder city airport.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN FAILED TO SECURE THE LATCHES WHICH SECURE THE LEFT HAND ENGINE COMPARTMENT DOOR. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LAS AIRPORT ON A 14 CFR PART 135 AIR TOUR TO THE GRAND CANYON. WHILE ENROUTE TO THE CANYON AT APPROXIMATELY BONNELLI BAY, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DOOR FLEW UP INTO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, AND ALSO DESTROYED THE ENGINE COWLING DOOR. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A REMOTE SITE AND LANDED SAFELY. OPERATOR DISPATCHED ANOTHER HELICOPTER WITH MECHANIC ONBOARD. THE PILOT AND MECHANIC ELECTED TO FLY THIS AIRCRAFT FROM IT'S PRESENT LOCATION TO BOULDER CITY AIRPORT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.