20100211027939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Eurocopter AS 365 N2 D · Cheverly, MD · February 11, 2010

Date: February 11, 2010 · 22:50 local
Place: Cheverly, MD
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N61MD
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA10TA142
Reported as: Eurocopter AS 365 N2 D
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,452 total360 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N61MDRegistration cancelled Dec 23, 2022 · Eurocopter AS 365 N2 DAUPHINS/N 6462 · Built 1993 Airframe modelEurocopter AS 365 N2 DAUPHIN Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1SERTurbo-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.

Public use msp helicopter N61MD delivered a patient to prince george general hospital and landed with the tail of the aircraft laying on a snow bank. When the pilot attempted to take off, the tail rotor fairing was flexed into the tail rotor by the snow causing damage to the tail rotor and fairing.

As the FAA filed it

PUBLIC USE MSP HELICOPTER N61MD DELIVERED A PATIENT TO PRINCE GEORGE GENERAL HOSPITAL AND LANDED WITH THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT LAYING ON A SNOW BANK. WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF, THE TAIL ROTOR FAIRING WAS FLEXED INTO THE TAIL ROTOR BY THE SNOW CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR AND FAIRING.

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 ERA10TA142Accident · No injuriesFinal reportCheverly, MDIncomplete clearing of snow from the helipad and vicinity. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a NOTAM regarding the presence of snow banks and the pilot's failure to ensure that the helicopter was clear of a snow bank prior to departure.Feb 12, 2010 · Substantial damage