# Accident 20220719007199A: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC 135 P2+, Mount Vernon, IL, July 19, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 19, 2022, 19:41 local time
- Place: Mount Vernon, IL
- Airport: Mount Vernon
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EVCA
- Location: 38.3179° N, 88.8631° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3179&lon=-88.8631&mi=10
- Aircraft: N228MT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N228MT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2+ (registry code 5620030, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec-135-p2-plus) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206B2 (registry code 52288, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw206b2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC 135 P2+
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PW206B2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 3,306 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA328](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA328) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220719007199A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 19, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1941 CDT N228MT, AN EC-135 P2+, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING AT MOUNT VERNON AIRPORT (MVN) IN MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS.  THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN INITIAL APPROACH AND WAS HOVER TAXIING TO THE PARKING AREA WHEN A FIRE EXTINGUISHER COVER WAS INGESTED INTO THE FENESTRON (TAIL ROTOR).  THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER COVER WAS ON A FIRE EXTINGUISHER MOUNTED ON A PORTABLE FUEL TANK NEAR THE LANDING AREA.  THE DOWNWASH FROM THE AIRCRAFT'S MAIN ROTOR CAUSED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER COVER TO COME LOOSE AND SUBSEQUENTLY LIFTED INTO THE AIR.  THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER COVER WAS THEN INGESTED INTO THE FENESTRON CAUSING THE FENESTRON HUB TO FLEX.  THIS FLEXING OF THE FENESTRON HUB CAUSED THE FENESTRON HUB COVER TO BECOME DETACHED AND IT WAS ALSO INGESTED INTO THE FENESTRON.  THE INGESTION OF THE FENESTRON HUB COVER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 CEN22LA328](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA328), Jul 20, 2022: Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 (N228MT), Mount Vernon, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate securement of the cloth fire extinguisher cover, which resulted in it being blown off the fire extinguisher and ingested into the helicopter’s fenestron during the landing.

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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