20120414010679A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Aberdeen, SD · April 14, 2012

Date: April 14, 2012 · 02:50 local
Place: Aberdeen, SD
Airport: Aberdeen Regional Airport
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: M3XA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N509MT
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12LA242
Reported as: Bell 407
Reported engine: Allison 250-C47
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,960 total22 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N509MTRegistration cancelled Jul 30, 2012 · Bell 407S/N 53281 · Built 1998 Airframe modelBell 407 Engine modelAllison 250-C47 seriesTurbo-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.

Accident occurred on 4-14-2012, about 0200 CDT (0700Z) near Aberdeen, SD. Pilot had just refueled at the Aberdeen (abr) airport and was ferrying the aircraft to st. luke hospital when the aircraft had an engine or transmission failure. Pilot made a forced landing in a field. The main rotor struck the tail boom, severing it. The pilot was treated and released from the hospital with minor injuries. Bob king, Aberdeen airport maintenance foreman was on site. In telecon with privacy data omitted, NTSB spokesperson asked privacy data omittedto take photos after daybreak and the aircraft could be removed to the airport. FAA notified at 0330 MDT on 4-14-2012. There was evidence of fire damage near the engine cowl. The engine case was split at the turbine section. The engine was removed and shipped to the rr maintenance facility in Indiana. The engine teardown showed catastrophic failure of multiple engine components.

As the FAA filed it

ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON 4-14-2012, ABOUT 0200 CDT (0700Z) NEAR ABERDEEN, SD. PILOT HAD JUST REFUELED AT THE ABERDEEN (ABR) AIRPORT AND WAS FERRYING THE AIRCRAFT TO ST. LUKE HOSPITAL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HAD AN ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM, SEVERING IT. THE PILOT WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES. BOB KING, ABERDEEN AIRPORT MAINTENANCE FOREMAN WAS ON SITE. IN TELECON WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, NTSB SPOKESPERSON ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^TO TAKE PHOTOS AFTER DAYBREAK AND THE AIRCRAFT COULD BE REMOVED TO THE AIRPORT. FAA NOTIFIED AT 0330 MDT ON 4-14-2012. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF FIRE DAMAGE NEAR THE ENGINE COWL. THE ENGINE CASE WAS SPLIT AT THE TURBINE SECTION. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED AND SHIPPED TO THE RR MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN INDIANA. THE ENGINE TEARDOWN SHOWED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF MULTIPLE ENGINE COMPONENTS.

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 CEN12LA242Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAberdeen, SDThe fatigue failure of two turbine engine blades due to vibration.Apr 14, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N509MT · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20100614006129ICruise/Level Flight · Fargo, NDDuring cruise/low approach to hospital helipad approximately 4 miles out the pilot windshield failed losing 90% of the window. Investigation by company personnel revealed a dent in the windshield metal trim just forward of the pilot door. The dent was about…Jun 14, 2010 · Minor damage