20120724015589A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2 · Houston, TX · July 24, 2012

Date: July 24, 2012 · 06:20 local
Place: Houston, TX
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: GVNA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N455MH
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12CA474
Reported as: Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,781 total597 in this make and model69 in the last 90 days

N455MHRegistered now · Eurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2S/N 9161 · Built 2008 Airframe modelEurocopter Deutschland MBB-BK 117 C-2 Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1E2Turbo-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.

Medical flight (life flight 5) from 70TS to memorial hermann hospital s.e. with stop at 38TE to pick up a nurse. Upon approach to 38TE the pilot and crew heard a thump and felt a shudder in the aircraft. Upon landing the passenger boarded the aircraft and the flight continued to final destination. After shut down, while conducting a walk around inspection the pilot found part of the number one engine cowling missing and damage to all four m/r blades.

As the FAA filed it

MEDICAL FLIGHT (LIFE FLIGHT 5) FROM 70TS TO MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL S.E. WITH STOP AT 38TE TO PICK UP A NURSE. UPON APPROACH TO 38TE THE PILOT AND CREW HEARD A THUMP AND FELT A SHUDDER IN THE AIRCRAFT. UPON LANDING THE PASSENGER BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT AND THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO FINAL DESTINATION. AFTER SHUT DOWN, WHILE CONDUCTING A WALK AROUND INSPECTION THE PILOT FOUND PART OF THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE COWLING MISSING AND DAMAGE TO ALL FOUR M/R BLADES.

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 CEN12CA474Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHouston, TXThe pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to detect the unsecured cowling latches and resulted in the in-flight opening of an engine cowling.Jul 24, 2012 · Substantial damage