20120809020429I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Boeing V.-Columbia Helicopters 107-II · Chester, CA · August 9, 2012

Date: August 9, 2012 · 18:10 local
Place: Chester, CA
Airport: Rogers Field
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: CHIA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N190CH
Reported as: Boeing V.-Columbia Helicopters 107-II
Reported engine: GE CT58 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,841 total4,094 in this make and model138 in the last 90 days

N190CHRegistered now · Boeing-Vertol 107-IIS/N 2002 · Built 1962 Airframe modelBoeing-Vertol 107-II Engine modelGE CT58-140-2Turbo-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.

According to the pilot and copilot statements, during a dip for water there was some miscommunication between the crew that allowed the aircraft to get to close to a tree and the forward rotor blades contacted a tree. After returning to the airport, approximately 10 miles away the crew and maintenance personal noted minor blade damage as follows. Minor blade damage occurred to all three of the rotor blades. One of blades has scratches and paint chipping, another has one hole with deeper scratching and larger paint chipping, and the other blade has two holes with some delamination of the top skin by the larger hole with paint chipping and scratches. None of the blades had any leading edge damage or contact markings. The aircraft was then inspected in accordance with their (camp) maintenance program and special inspection section. No other damage was noted or reported. The damaged rotor blades were replaced inspections completed and the helicopter was returned to service.

As the FAA filed it

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND COPILOT STATEMENTS, DURING A DIP FOR WATER THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CREW THAT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO GET TO CLOSE TO A TREE AND THE FORWARD ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED A TREE. AFTER RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AWAY THE CREW AND MAINTENANCE PERSONAL NOTED MINOR BLADE DAMAGE AS FOLLOWS. MINOR BLADE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO ALL THREE OF THE ROTOR BLADES. ONE OF BLADES HAS SCRATCHES AND PAINT CHIPPING, ANOTHER HAS ONE HOLE WITH DEEPER SCRATCHING AND LARGER PAINT CHIPPING, AND THE OTHER BLADE HAS TWO HOLES WITH SOME DELAMINATION OF THE TOP SKIN BY THE LARGER HOLE WITH PAINT CHIPPING AND SCRATCHES. NONE OF THE BLADES HAD ANY LEADING EDGE DAMAGE OR CONTACT MARKINGS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR (CAMP) MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND SPECIAL INSPECTION SECTION. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTED OR REPORTED. THE DAMAGED ROTOR BLADES WERE REPLACED INSPECTIONS COMPLETED AND THE HELICOPTER WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.

Other reports on N190CH · 1

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

Accident 19830820074729AHovering · Shaver Lake, CA#3SYN chronizing shaft failed on lifting a external load. Caused main rotors to collide. Rivet hole fatigue cracks.Aug 20, 1983 · Reported as Boeing 1072 · Destroyed