# Incident 20180125001629I: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BK 117 A-4, Borden, IN, January 25, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 25, 2018, 19:20 local time
- Place: Borden, IN
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: QMLA
- Location: 38.4720° N, 85.9482° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Borden, IN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4720&lon=-85.9482&mi=10
- Aircraft: N485UH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N485UH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BK 117 A-4 (registry code 5626017, https://openairdocs.org/model/messerschmitt-bolkow-blohm-bk-117-a-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming LTS-101 series (registry code 41560, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-lts-101-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MESSERSCHMITT-BOLKOW-BLOHM BK 117 A-4
- Reported engine: LYCOMING LTS-101 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,437 total, 375 in this make and model, 33 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180125001629I

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 25, 2018, ABOUT 1920 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST) (0020Z), A MESSERSCHMITT-BOLKOW-BLOHM BK 117, N485UH, WITH THREE CREWMEMBERS ONBOARD, STRUCK TREE BRANCHES WHILE APPROACHING A MEDEVAC LANDING ZONE.  THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, FLIGHT NURSE AND PARAMEDIC WERE UNHARMED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED SAFELY IN AN ADJACENT FIELD.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO AIR METHODS CORPORATION AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14  CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 135.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE HARRISON COUNTY HOSPITAL, CORYDON, INDIANA, ENROUTE TO AN ACCIDENT SCENE ON STATE ROAD 60, BORDEN, INDIANA.

APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES FROM THE LANDING ZONE THE PILOT CONTACTED GROUND PERSONNEL REGARDING THE PROPOSED LANDING ZONE.  UPON THE NIGHT ARRIVAL TO THE AREA THE PILOT CIRCLED TWICE FOR A ?HIGH RECON? OF THE ZONE AND APPROACHED THE ZONE TO LAND.  ALL THREE CREWMEMBERS, USING NVG, WERE AWARE OF POWER LINES AND TREES ADJACENT TO THE LANDING ZONE.  AT APPROXIMATELY 60? AGL THE FLIGHT NURSE IN THE LEFT SEAT ASKED THE PILOT TO ?SLIDE RIGHT? TO PROVIDE MORE CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINES AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK TREE BRANCHES.  THE PILOT ELECTED TO CLIMB AWAY FROM THE LANDING ZONE AND LANDED SAFELY IN AN ADJACENT FIELD.

## Other reports on N485UH (1)

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

- [Incident 20070221003319I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070221003319I), Feb 21, 2007: Bolkms BK117A4 (N485UH), Carteret County, NC, Minor damage. (-23) Aircraft departed Carteret County hospital on 2045 local time. Pilot encountered shallow layer of scattered/broken fog at approximately 300'. Soon…

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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