# Incident 20170318021609I: Bell 412EP, Decatur, TX, March 18, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 2017, 09:10 local time
- Place: Decatur, TX
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: UX9R
- Location: 33.2265° N, 97.5872° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Decatur, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2265&lon=-97.5872&mi=10
- Aircraft: N87AM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N87AM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 412EP (registry code 1182205, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-412ep) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3D (registry code 52168, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6t-3d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 412EP
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6T-3D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170318021609I

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 18, 2017 AT 0910 AT THE UNITED ROTORCRAFT FACILITY IN DECATUR, TEXAS, A MAINTENANCE RUN ON A BELL 412 WAS BEING PERFORMED BY ONE TECHNICIAN AND ONE CONTRACT PILOT. THE ENGINE COWLINGS WERE REMOVED. PER THE TEST, THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE 2-3 FEET. THE TECHNICIAN SAW A LADDER HAD BEEN LEFT NEARBY AND ALERTED THE PILOT WHO KNOWINGLY TURNED THE HELICOPTER LEFT TO AVOID THE PERCEIVED DANGER AS THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE NEARBY FACILITY PERIMETER FENCE REMOVING APPROX. 6 INCHES OF EACH TAIL ROTOR BLADE. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED TWICE IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION BEFORE THE PILOT LANDED IT SAFELY. NO INJURIES, BUT THERE WAS COMPOSITE TAIL ROTOR BLADE DAMAGE. THE HELICOPTER DID NOT INTEND TO PERFORM A FLIGHT, IT WAS A MAINTENANCE TEST RESULT.

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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