20191116021689I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Agusta A109E · Penobscot, ME · November 16, 2019

Date: November 16, 2019 · 18:45 local
Place: Penobscot, ME
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: GNLA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N901EM
NTSB investigation: NTSBENG20IA005
Reported as: Agusta A109E
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206C
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0

N901EMRegistered now · Agusta A109ES/N 11614 · Built 2004 Airframe modelAgusta A109E Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PW206CTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft departed northern light hospital in blue hill, Maine with 4 persons on board. The pilot experienced a main rotor blade vibration and performed an emergency landing in a field in Penobscot, Maine. Lat/long: N44.31.24, W68.38.42. Post flight inspection revealed that the tip of one rotor blade had become de-laminated.

The blade was replaced and the aircraft returned to service. The blade has bee retained for further examination, see NTSB engineering investigation number ENG201A005.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NORTHERN LIGHT HOSPITAL IN BLUE HILL, MAINE WITH 4 PERSONS ON BOARD. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A MAIN ROTOR BLADE VIBRATION AND PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD IN PENOBSCOT, MAINE. LAT/LONG: N44.31.24, W68.38.42. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE TIP OF ONE ROTOR BLADE HAD BECOME DE-LAMINATED.

THE BLADE WAS REPLACED AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE. THE BLADE HAS BEE RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION, SEE NTSB ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION NUMBER ENG201A005.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ENG20IA005Incident · No injuriesClass 3 · IncidentFinal reportPenobscot, MEFatigue fracture of the main rotor blade tip cap leading edge and subsequent partial separation of the tip cap, resulting in increased vibrations in the main rotor.Nov 16, 2019 · Minor damage