# Accident 20170525010999A: Eurocopter EC 130 B4, Peach Springs, AZ, May 25, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 25, 2017, 16:22 local time
- Place: Peach Springs, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: PG9A
- Location: 35.9847° N, 113.8172° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9847&lon=-113.8172&mi=10
- Aircraft: N153GC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N153GC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter EC 130 B4 (registry code 8680989, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec-130-b4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2B1 (registry code 60056, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2b1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,043 total, 1,215 in this make and model, 91 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA344](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA344) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170525010999A

## Narrative

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

05/25/2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:22, PAPILLON HELIPAD AT 1G4:

N153GC LANDED WITH AIR SICK PASSENGER/PASSENGERS.

(ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS) AIRCRAFT AT IDLE, PASSENGERS UNLOADED ALLOWING THEM TO CLEAN THEMSELVES AS WELL AS ALLOWING AIR CARRIER RAMP PERSONNEL TO CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE AIRCRAFT.  ONE OF THE RAMP PERSONNEL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^/NON CERTIFICATED AIRMAN) WAS CLEANING THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT CABIN VIA ACCESS THROUGH THE AIRCRAFT SLIDING DOOR. THE SECOND RAMP PERSONNEL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^/NON CERTIFICATED AIRMAN) WENT TO CLEAN THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT CABIN VIA ACCESS THROUGH THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT HAND FORWARD CABIN DOOR. WHILE CLEANING THE AIRCRAFT CABIN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PROPPED THE RIGHT HAND FORWARD CABIN DOOR WITH THE HEEL OF HIS FOOT, NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO MOVE FORWARD PAST THE POINT OF HIS HEEL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATEMENT CONTINUES ?ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOOR CAME OFF MY HEEL FROM WIND AND THE DOOR ARM CAME UNATTACHED. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A NOISE AS IF THE DOOR WAS GETTING HIT. GLASS STARTED HITTING ME AS I TURNED AND STARTED TO GRAB THE DOOR TO AVOID ANY FURTHER DAMAGE AND AVOID ANY INJURIES TO MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE. I GRABBED THE DOOR AND STOPPED IT FROM GETTING HIT ANY FURTHER.? (ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS) ?THE PILOT THEN STATED ON THE FM THAT HE NEEDED A MECHANIC TO THE LINE DUE TO A BLADE STRIKE. THE PILOT THEN SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT.?

## 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 GAA17CA344](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA344), May 25, 2017: Eurocopter EC130 (N153GC), Peach Springs, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The ground crewman’s failure to hold onto the passenger door while the main rotor was still rotating, which resulted in the door separating from the helicopter and damaging the main rotor.

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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