# Accident 20210213000199A: Agustawestland Philadelphia Co AW119MKII, Alexandria, MN, February 13, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 13, 2021, 11:11 local time
- Place: Alexandria, MN
- Airport: Chandler Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 37CA
- Location: 45.8663° N, 95.3947° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8663&lon=-95.3947&mi=10
- Aircraft: N352LL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N352LL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Agustawestland Philadelphia AW119MKII (registry code 0260401, https://openairdocs.org/model/agustawestland-philadelphia-aw119mkii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A (registry code 52179, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6b-37a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AGUSTAWESTLAND PHILADELPHIA CO AW119MKII
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6B-37A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA128) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210213000199A

## Narrative

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

2021-02-13, N352LL, LIFELINKIII AUGUSTA, HELICOPTER TOOK OFF FROM ALEXANDRIA, MN (KAXN) AIRPORT AND HIT AN OBJECT WITH ONE ROTOR BLADE.

AFTER TRANSITIONING STRAIGHT AHEAD TO FORWARD FLIGHT ON RWY 31, THE PIC MADE A LEFT CLIMBING TURN AS DESTINATION WAS SOUTHBOUND. AT AN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 300-400 FT , ALONG THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE AIRFIELD, THE PIC HEARD A SINGLE NOISE, AND STATED HE MAY HAVE FELT A MINOR CONTROL MOVEMENT. HE ROLLED OUT AND ASKED THE MEDICAL CREW IN BACK IF SOMETHING HAD FALLEN ON THE FLOOR? THE ANSWER WAS NO.

THE PIC IMMEDIATELY TURNED LEFT AND WAS IN POSITION FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND. HE RETURNED, HAD A PANEL CHECK CONDUCTED AND THEN SHUTDOWN THE AIRCRAFT. WALKAROUND INSPECTION SHOWED A LEADING EDGE ROTOR BLADE IMPACT. THE IMPACT WAS APPROXIMATELY 60 INCHES FROM THE ATTACH POINT ON THE HUB. THE IMPACT WAS ABOUT 1/2 INCH WIDE AND 1/2 INCH DEEP. 6 INCHES AFT OF THE LEADING EDGE IMPACT WAS A HOLE ABOUT 1 INCH THAT PENETRATED THE BOTTOM OF THE BLADE AND EXITED THE TOP, THROUGH THE HONEY COMB AND COMPOSITE MATERIAL. COMPOSITE MATERIAL HAD STARTED TO PEEL AWAY AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE.

IT WAS UNCLEAR WHAT THE IMPACT COULD HAVE BEEN. NOBODY ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT HAD SEEN ANYTHING. MECHANICS HAD SIGNED OFF THAT ALL TOOLS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AS A ROTOR BLADE DAMPENER HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. IT WAS A VERY COLD DAY, -10 DEG F AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. THIS TEMPERATURE WOULD HAVE DEGRADED DRONE PERFORMANCE; HOWEVER, FLIGHT MAY STILL HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. THE GROUND BELOW THE SUSPECTED IMPACT WAS WALKED TO SEE IF ANY DRONE OR BIRD PARTS COULD BE FOUND. THERE WAS SNOW ON THE GROUND AND AN INCH HAD FALLEN SINCE THE IMPACT. NOTHING WAS DISCOVERED AS FAR AS DRONE OR BIRD PARTS. NO OTHER MARKS OR IMPACTS WERE DISCOVERED ON THE AIRFRAME.

THIS INVESTIGATION WILL BE CLOSED AS ROTOR BLADE IMPACT WITH AN UNKNOWN OBJECT IN FLIGHT. AMENDMENT WILL BE MADE AS NECESSARY.

## 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 CEN21LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA128), Feb 13, 2021: Agustawestland Philadelphia AW119MKII (N352LL), Alexandria, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The helicopter’s impact with an object on departure that could not be determined.

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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