# Incident 20180104006179I: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, Norfolk, NE, January 4, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 4, 2018, 20:20 local time
- Place: Norfolk, NE
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: QMLA
- Location: 42.0225° N, 97.4136° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0225&lon=-97.4136&mi=10
- Aircraft: N214AM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N214AM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 (registry code 1182154, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B (registry code 54585, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 10,030 total, 202 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18CA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18CA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180104006179I

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT AND TWO MEDICAL CREWMEMBERS WERE ON A RETURN FLIGHT TO A HOSPITAL HELIPAD. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE HELIPAD, THE CREW HEARD A NOISE OUTSIDE THE HELICOPTER. THE MEDICAL CREWMEMBERS

REPORTED THEY FELT A "SHUDDER", BELIEVING IT TO BE WIND AS THEY

APPROACHED THE HELIPAD. THE PILOT HEARD THE NOISE, BUT THERE WAS NO EFFECT ON THE CONTROLS OR FLIGHT

CHARACTERISTICS. HE CONTINUED THE APPROACH AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER ENGINE SHUTDOWN, THE

ON COMING PILOT NOTICED THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT COVER MISSING. A SEARCH OF THE

SURROUNDING AREA NEAR THE HELICOPTER'S APPROACH PATH, LOCATED THE MISSING COVER.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER NOTED  DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR (T/R) DRIVE SHAFT. THE T/RS WERE STRUCK DURING THE COVER DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRCRAFT, LEAVING DENTS IN THE T/R LEADING EDGES.

THE DAY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR

PITCH CHANGE MECHANISM, WHICH REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE DRIVE SHAFT COVER. THE COVER WAS REINSTALLED, AND NO PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED DURING A SUBSEQUENT PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION.

## 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 CEN18CA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18CA072), Jan 5, 2018: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 (N214AM), Norfolk, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the tail rotor drive shaft cover, which resulted in the cover departing the helicopter in flight.

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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