# Accident 20200305009929A: Eurocopter EC 130 B4, Pahoa, HI, March 5, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 5, 2020, 11:29 local time
- Place: Pahoa, HI
- Airport: Hilo International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HCMA
- Location: 19.4386° N, 155.0000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=19.4386&lon=-155.0000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N11QK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N11QK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter EC 130 B4 (registry code 8680989, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec-130-b4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2B1 (registry code 60056, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2b1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 7,878 total, 1,969 in this make and model, 144 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC20LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA028) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200305009929A

## Narrative

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

DURING AIR TOUR OPERATION, AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A VIBRATION, NOISE, AND AN

INTERMITTENT TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX CHIP LIGHT. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE

VIBRATION STOPPED AND THE CHIP LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. PILOT PROCEEDED TO

MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A CLEARING REFERRED TO AS FOREST GEO.

UPON APPROACH AND DECELERATION, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO YAW TO THE LEFT.

THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE YAW AND INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION

LANDING. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL YAWING AND

MADE CONTACT WITH TREES THEN ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. PILOT SHUT

DOWN THE ENGINE AND INITIATED AN EVACUATION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS NOTED THAT ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR

BLADES HAD SEPARATED AND PENETRATED THE FENESTRON HOUSING. THE BLADE

CONTACTED THE DRIVE SHAFT RESULTING IN SEVERE DEFORMATION OF THE SHAFT.

THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS SHEARED AT THE FORWARD ENTRANCE TO THE

FENESTRON HOUSING.

## 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 ANC20LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA028), Mar 5, 2020: Eurocopter EC130 (N11QK), Kalapana, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of control due to the fatigue fracture of a tail rotor fenestron blade due to the geometry of the water drain hole positioning on the rib.

## Other reports on N11QK (1)

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

- [Incident 20091130023199I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091130023199I), Nov 30, 2009: Urocop EC130B4 (N11QK), Kahului, HI, No damage. Made a precautionary landing in a field 18 miles east of Kahului Airport due to an engine mgbp light. POB: 6 injuries: none, damage: none, operator removed and…

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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