# Accident 20120816017519A: Md Helicopters Inc 369E, Columbus, OH, August 16, 2012 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 16, 2012, 01:55 local time - Place: Columbus, OH - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.9701° N, 83.0102° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9701&lon=-83.0102&mi=10 - Aircraft: N551CP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N551CP) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: MD Helicopters 369FF (registry code 3030002, https://openairdocs.org/model/md-helicopters-369ff) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30M (registry code 54014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c30m) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MD HELICOPTERS INC 369E - Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C20B - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12TA550](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12TA550) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120816017519A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AT APPROXIMATELY 1:50AM, AFTER A PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND A CHECK OF THE WEATHER, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE COLUMBUS POLICE HELIPORT, LOCATED AT 2130 W. BROAD ST, COLUMBUS43223. PILOT MAINTAINED A SOUTHEASTERN DEPARTURE, ULTIMATELY TURNING TO THE SOUTH WHILE OVER W. BROAD ST. AFTER COMPLETING HIS TRANSMISSION WITH CMH TOWER AND APPROACHING SULLIVANT AVE, THE PILOT LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT AT 1500' MSL, AND THEN EXECUTED A RIGHT TURN TOWARDS THE WEST. SHORTLY INTO THE WESTBOUND TREK, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD EXPLODING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE EXPLOSION WAS FOLLOWED BY A LONG SUSTAINED WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, WITH A CONSTANT SOUND OF A WARNING TONE IN THE BACKGROUND. INSTANTLY, THE PILOT OBSERVED THE N1 AND N2 NEEDLES FALLING RAPIDLY.THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED THE SITUATION AS AN ENGINE FAILURE AND ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DESPITE THE LOSS OF THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE, AND IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED SULLIVANT AVE AS EMERGENCY LANDING SITE. AS THE PILOT APPROACHED THE BOTTOM OF THE AUTOROTATION, HE EXECUTED A HARD FLAIR IN AN ATFEMPT TO BLEED OFF AS MUCH FORWARD AIRSPEED AS POSSIBLE.AS THE HELICOPTER LEVELED AND TOUCHED DOWN ONTO SULLIVANT AVE, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO BRIEFLY MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL ANDHEADING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, SLIDING THE HELICOPTER DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY. AT ONE POINT, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ROTATE COUNTERCLOCKWISE, APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 TIMES, AS IT SLID NORTHWEST ALONG SULLIVANT AVE. EVENTUALLY, THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP, AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH A WOODEN UTILITY POLE LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF SULLIVANT AVE.AS THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT, HIS RIGHT FOOT BECAME STUCK BETWEEN THE CYCLIC AND THE FRONT SEAT. AS THE PILOT YANKED HIS FOOT FREE, HE GOT HUNG UP ON THE AIRCRAFT'S COLLECTIVE, CAUSING IT TO DETACH. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, THE PI LOT AND OBSERVER IMMEDIATELY IDENTI FI ED A FIRE COMING FROM THE REAR ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PILOT GRABBED THE AIRCRAFT'S FIRE EXTINGUISHER, RAN TO THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE.UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING THE LANDING, THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL FIN/STABILIZER AND REAR ROTORS HAD BEEN RIPPED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND ALL MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT AND OBSERVER WERE TRANSPORTED TO GRANT HOSPITAL WHERE NO MAJOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED BY THE AIRCREW. ## 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 CEN12TA550](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12TA550), Aug 16, 2012: MD Helicopter 369 (N551CP), Columbus, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of a 4th-stage turbine blade due to high-cycle fatigue, which resulted in the loss of engine power. ## Other reports on N551CP (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20211208020659I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211208020659I), Dec 8, 2021: Md Helicopters Inc 369FF (N551CP), Columbus, OH, Minor damage. Columbus, OH (cmh): cmh city pd, helicopter, cmh city pd Helicopter reported being shot at by at least 20 rounds Approximately 3.5 NM NE of bolton field, OH… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.