# Accident 20180112006529A: Bell UH-1H, Van Nuys, CA, January 12, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 12, 2018, 07:30 local time
- Place: Van Nuys, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.2097° N, 118.4897° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2097&lon=-118.4897&mi=10
- Aircraft: N205KS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N205KS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell UH-1H (registry code 1181407, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-uh-1h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH-1H
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 5,400 total, 66 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180112006529A

## Narrative

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

AIRMAN WAS LANDING ON A SQUARE HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE AT THE RSI PRIVATE RAMP ON THE WEST SIDE OF VAN NUYS AIRPORT.

HE WAS APPROACHING FACING WEST AND THOUGHT THAT THE LINEMAN WAS REQUESTING THAT HE PERFORM A 180? DEGREE PEDAL TURN TO LAND AND FACE EAST.

THE AIRMAN WAS LOOKING AT THE LANDING ZONE OFF TO HIS LEFT AS HE COULD NOT SEE DIRECTLY BELOW HIM. HE THOUGHT HE WAS ALIGNED; HOWEVER, HIS LANDING ZONE WAS NOT PARALLEL TO THE OTHER ONE HE WAS LOOKING AT.

AS HE WAS TOUCHING DOWN THE TAIL ROTOR OF HIS HELICOPTER N205KS HIT THE MAIN ROTOR OF N216HG, ANOTHER HELICOPTER WHICH WAS PARKED BEHIND HIM.

HE FELT A BUMP, LANDED AND SHUT DOWN.

VISUAL INSPECTION OF BOTH AIRCRAFT SHOWS THAT BOTH AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED BLADE DAMAGE. N205KS HAS TAIL ROTOR DAMAGE ON BOTH BLADES, AND N216HG HAS ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CLIPPED ON THE OUTER EDGE.

N216HG ALSO RECEIVED SOME WINDSHIELD DAMAGE FROM METAL CHIPS.

## 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 GAA18CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA107), Jan 12, 2018: Bell UH 1H (N205KS), Van Nuys, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a stationary helicopter during landing. Contributing to the accident was the ground crew’s failure to ensure that the helicopter would clear the…

## Other reports on N205KS (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20100624037929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100624037929A), Jun 24, 2010: Bell UH-1H (N205KS), Lake Cachuma, CA, Minor damage. On 06/24/2010 santa barbara county fire, while conducting cliff rescue training, a brief loud noise was heard and the aircraft yawed to the right. A…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.