What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 8, 2017 at approximately 11:20AM EDT, an Airbus helicopters mbb-bk 117 C-2 operating as a FAA part 135 on demand air ambulance flight, while in cruise flight at 2,500 MSL encountered mechanical issues, descended rapidly, and crashed killing the pilot, two crew members, and the patient.
Preliminary data transmitted from the helicopter showed that it departed NC98 to the northwest, climbed to about 1,000 ft mean sea level (MSL) and then turned west. The helicopter climbed to about 2,500 ft MSL and continued on a westerly track at a groundspeed of about 120 knots. About 8 minutes after takeoff, the helicopter began a turn toward the south. About 1 minute later, the transmitted data ended at an altitude of about 1,200 ft MSL and a groundspeed of 75 knots, while the helicopter was on a southeasterly track.
Several witnesses reported observing smoke trailing behind the helicopter while it was in flight.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that all the major components of the helicopter were present at the accident site. The cabin had collapsed downward and was partially consumed by a postcrash fire.
No foreign object damage was found on the axial compressor blades of either engine. No damage was observed on the visible portions of the turbine blades at the rear of either engine. The gas generator of the no. 1 engine moved freely when rotated by hand, the no. 2 engine gas generator would not rotate. The no. 1 engine fuel shutoff valve was found in the open position. The no. 2 engine fuel shutoff valve was damaged and its position could not be determined during the field examination. The no. 2 engine rear turbine shaft bearing exhibited discoloration consistent with overheating and lack of lubrication. The bearing roller pins were worn down to the surface of the bearing race. The end of the turbine shaft aft of the nut exhibited rotational nonuniform damage.
The helicopter was equipped with an on-board audio and video recording system. The unit was thermally damaged; however, the memory device remained intact. The unit was sent to the NTSB vehicle recorder laboratory for examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:20AM EDT, AN AIRBUS HELICOPTERS MBB-BK 117 C-2 OPERATING AS A FAA PART 135 ON DEMAND AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHT, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2,500 MSL ENCOUNTERED MECHANICAL ISSUES, DESCENDED RAPIDLY, AND CRASHED KILLING THE PILOT, TWO CREW MEMBERS, AND THE PATIENT.
PRELIMINARY DATA TRANSMITTED FROM THE HELICOPTER SHOWED THAT IT DEPARTED NC98 TO THE NORTHWEST, CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1,000 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) AND THEN TURNED WEST. THE HELICOPTER CLIMBED TO ABOUT 2,500 FT MSL AND CONTINUED ON A WESTERLY TRACK AT A GROUNDSPEED OF ABOUT 120 KNOTS. ABOUT 8 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A TURN TOWARD THE SOUTH. ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER, THE TRANSMITTED DATA ENDED AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1,200 FT MSL AND A GROUNDSPEED OF 75 KNOTS, WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A SOUTHEASTERLY TRACK.
SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING SMOKE TRAILING BEHIND THE HELICOPTER WHILE IT WAS IN FLIGHT.
EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT ALL THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE HELICOPTER WERE PRESENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE CABIN HAD COLLAPSED DOWNWARD AND WAS PARTIALLY CONSUMED BY A POSTCRASH FIRE.
NO FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON THE AXIAL COMPRESSOR BLADES OF EITHER ENGINE. NO DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ON THE VISIBLE PORTIONS OF THE TURBINE BLADES AT THE REAR OF EITHER ENGINE. THE GAS GENERATOR OF THE NO. 1 ENGINE MOVED FREELY WHEN ROTATED BY HAND, THE NO. 2 ENGINE GAS GENERATOR WOULD NOT ROTATE. THE NO. 1 ENGINE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE NO. 2 ENGINE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE WAS DAMAGED AND ITS POSITION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DURING THE FIELD EXAMINATION. THE NO. 2 ENGINE REAR TURBINE SHAFT BEARING EXHIBITED DISCOLORATION CONSISTENT WITH OVERHEATING AND LACK OF LUBRICATION. THE BEARING ROLLER PINS WERE WORN DOWN TO THE SURFACE OF THE BEARING RACE. THE END OF THE TURBINE SHAFT AFT OF THE NUT EXHIBITED ROTATIONAL NONUNIFORM DAMAGE.
THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ON-BOARD AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING SYSTEM. THE UNIT WAS THERMALLY DAMAGED; HOWEVER, THE MEMORY DEVICE REMAINED INTACT. THE UNIT WAS SENT TO THE NTSB VEHICLE RECORDER LABORATORY FOR EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.