What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC privacy data omitted stated that he had performed his morning pre-flight and was waiting for company employess to arrive at the Grand Canyon west heliport in order to fly the employees down to the base of the Grand Canyon boat launch area. The employess arrived, PIC performed a last walk around inspection of the aircraft and apparently failed to observe that the right engine cowling was not fastened. PIC started the aircraft and departed on his flight to the base of the Canyon. PIC stated that he was flying at approximately 100 knots and was in a descent somewhere between the bat towers and point bravo when he heard a noise and felt a jolt to the aircraft. Upon landing, PIC was approached by an employee who stated that they must have hit a bird. PIC shut the aircraft down and performed an inspection. During this inspection the PIC noted that the right engine cowling was missing and there was damage to one of the main rotor blades. PIC contacted company management personnel and advised them of the incident and left the aircraft at the landing site location pending maintenance repairs.
As the FAA filed it
PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE HAD PERFORMED HIS MORNING PRE-FLIGHT AND WAS WAITING FOR COMPANY EMPLOYESS TO ARRIVE AT THE GRAND CANYON WEST HELIPORT IN ORDER TO FLY THE EMPLOYEES DOWN TO THE BASE OF THE GRAND CANYON BOAT LAUNCH AREA. THE EMPLOYESS ARRIVED, PIC PERFORMED A LAST WALK AROUND INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND APPARENTLY FAILED TO OBSERVE THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING WAS NOT FASTENED. PIC STARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND DEPARTED ON HIS FLIGHT TO THE BASE OF THE CANYON. PIC STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 100 KNOTS AND WAS IN A DESCENT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE BAT TOWERS AND POINT BRAVO WHEN HE HEARD A NOISE AND FELT A JOLT TO THE AIRCRAFT. UPON LANDING, PIC WAS APPROACHED BY AN EMPLOYEE WHO STATED THAT THEY MUST HAVE HIT A BIRD. PIC SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN AND PERFORMED AN INSPECTION. DURING THIS INSPECTION THE PIC NOTED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING WAS MISSING AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. PIC CONTACTED COMPANY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL AND ADVISED THEM OF THE INCIDENT AND LEFT THE AIRCRAFT AT THE LANDING SITE LOCATION PENDING MAINTENANCE REPAIRS.
Other reports on N2072M · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.