# Accident 20151106022539A: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC 135 T2+, Monongahela, PA, November 6, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 6, 2015, 06:00 local time
- Place: Monongahela, PA
- Airport: Monongahela Valley Hospital He
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: E3MA
- Location: 40.1822° N, 79.9100° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1822&lon=-79.9100&mi=10
- Aircraft: N639ME (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC 135 T2+
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIUS 2B2
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16CA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16CA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151106022539A

## Narrative

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

DURING TAKE-OFF FROM MONONGEHELA VALLEY HOSPITAL (5PA5) HELIPAD WITH TWO MEDICAL CREWMEMBERS AND A PATIENT ONBOARD, THE HELICOPTER ROTOR WASH BLEW A VINYL COVER OFF OF THE 33-GALLON WHEELED FOAM FIRE EXTINGUISHER.  THE VINYL COVER IMPACTED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS SHREDDED BY THE FENESTRON BLADES (TAIL ROTOR) SEVERELY HINDERING THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE HELICOPTER.  THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY LANDED THE HELICOPTER BACK ON THE HELIPAD AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINES.  AN INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT REVEALED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FENESTRON BLADES, FENESTRON COMPOSITE HOUSING, THE TAIL ROTOR LONG DRIVESHAFT AND THE FORWARD AND AFT LANDING GEAR CROSSTUBES.

## 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 ERA16CA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16CA060), Nov 6, 2015: Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 (N639ME), Monongahela, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate securing of the wheeled fire extinguisher's cover which resulted in it being blown off of the fire extinguisher and ingested into the helicopter's fenestron during takeoff, resulting…

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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