What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 1/1/11 approximately 1700 local time omniflight dispatch contacted privacy data omitted with a request to reposition from rochester MN to Albert Lea memorial hospital to pick up a patient. privacy data omitted Checked the weather and found the weather to be well above vfw with strong gusty winds from the west. privacy data omitted Preflighted the aircraft while in the hangar and pulled the aircraft out of the hangar removing the towbar and wheels. privacy data omitted Was unable to close the hangar door so he had to reposition the aircraft to the west side of the hangar. He felt the aircraft could safely depart with the hangar door open. He completed another walk around after removing the tug and ground handling wheels. After the number one engine was started the flight medic expressed a concern about an unusual rattle that she heard. privacy data omitted Indicated they had very strong gusty winds and that may be causing this. He then remembered that earlier in the day he had opened both engine cowls to check settings on the fuel control unit as directed by company maintenance. These settings were needed for another company aircraft whch had a fuel control unit problem. He then told the flight medic that he had opened both cowls and would she go out and check the security of both engine cowl latches. She did and reported all looked to be normal. The aircraft departed at approximatly 1743 local. Approximately 1/2 mile from Albert Lea memorial hospital privacy data omitted slowed the aircraft to approximatly 80 knots and started his approach and heard a bang then a thud. He noticed a 4 per rev vibration had developed and momentarily thought about abandoning the approach and landing 2 miles away at Albert Lea airport. Since the route would have taken him over a populated area he elected to continue and land. privacy data omitted Landed the aircraft safely and discovered the number one engine cowl opened in flight striking all four rotor blades. The aircraft required cowl and all four rotor blade replacement.
As the FAA filed it
ON 1/1/11 APPROXIMATELY 1700 LOCAL TIME OMNIFLIGHT DISPATCH CONTACTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH A REQUEST TO REPOSITION FROM ROCHESTER MN TO ALBERT LEA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL TO PICK UP A PATIENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CHECKED THE WEATHER AND FOUND THE WEATHER TO BE WELL ABOVE VFW WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS FROM THE WEST. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT WHILE IN THE HANGAR AND PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE HANGAR REMOVING THE TOWBAR AND WHEELS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE HANGAR DOOR SO HE HAD TO REPOSITION THE AIRCRAFT TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE HANGAR. HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT COULD SAFELY DEPART WITH THE HANGAR DOOR OPEN. HE COMPLETED ANOTHER WALK AROUND AFTER REMOVING THE TUG AND GROUND HANDLING WHEELS. AFTER THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE WAS STARTED THE FLIGHT MEDIC EXPRESSED A CONCERN ABOUT AN UNUSUAL RATTLE THAT SHE HEARD. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INDICATED THEY HAD VERY STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND THAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS. HE THEN REMEMBERED THAT EARLIER IN THE DAY HE HAD OPENED BOTH ENGINE COWLS TO CHECK SETTINGS ON THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT AS DIRECTED BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE. THESE SETTINGS WERE NEEDED FOR ANOTHER COMPANY AIRCRAFT WHCH HAD A FUEL CONTROL UNIT PROBLEM. HE THEN TOLD THE FLIGHT MEDIC THAT HE HAD OPENED BOTH COWLS AND WOULD SHE GO OUT AND CHECK THE SECURITY OF BOTH ENGINE COWL LATCHES. SHE DID AND REPORTED ALL LOOKED TO BE NORMAL. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AT APPROXIMATLY 1743 LOCAL. APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM ALBERT LEA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO APPROXIMATLY 80 KNOTS AND STARTED HIS APPROACH AND HEARD A BANG THEN A THUD. HE NOTICED A 4 PER REV VIBRATION HAD DEVELOPED AND MOMENTARILY THOUGHT ABOUT ABANDONING THE APPROACH AND LANDING 2 MILES AWAY AT ALBERT LEA AIRPORT. SINCE THE ROUTE WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM OVER A POPULATED AREA HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE AND LAND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LANDED THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY AND DISCOVERED THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE COWL OPENED IN FLIGHT STRIKING ALL FOUR ROTOR BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT REQUIRED COWL AND ALL FOUR ROTOR BLADE REPLACEMENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.