# Incident 20120805018919I: Bell 407, San Antonio, TX, August 5, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 5, 2012, 03:15 local time
- Place: San Antonio, TX
- Airport: San Antonio International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 29.2733° N, 98.2425° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2733&lon=-98.2425&mi=10
- Aircraft: N429PH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N429PH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 407 (registry code 1182206, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B (registry code 54585, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,308 total, 668 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12IA518](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA518) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120805018919I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON APPROACH TO SAN ANTONIO MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER, SAN ANTONIO TEXAS, AT NIGHT THE PILOT FLIPPED HIS NIGHT GOGGLES TO THE UP POSITION DUE TO THE GLARE OF THE SURROUNDING LIGHTS. SHORTLY THERE AFTER THE HELICOPTER SKID HIT A RADAR TOWER GUIDE WIRE.THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT SAN ANTONIO MEDICAL CENTER THE FLIGHT NURSE COULD NOT SEE THE SHADOW OF THE SKID.THE LANDING WAS ABORTED, PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DEVERTED TO THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NO INJURIES, MINOR DAMANGE TO AIRCRAFT.PARTIAL LEFT SKID WAS SEVERED FORWARD OF THE CROSS TUBE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN12IA518](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA518), Aug 5, 2012: Bell 407 (N429PH), San Antonio, TX, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tower guy wire during the approach to a helipad at night.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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