# Incident 20230909012239I: Bell 407, Frankfort, KY, September 9, 2023

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 9, 2023, 15:30 local time
- Place: Frankfort, KY
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: VE7A
- Location: 38.1950° N, 84.8659° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Frankfort, KY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1950&lon=-84.8659&mi=10
- Aircraft: N453R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N453R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 407 (registry code 1182206, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B (registry code 54585, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,600 total, 650 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230909012239I

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 09, 2023, A HELICOPTER OPERATING UNDER FAR PART 135 WAS REPOSITIONING IN A HOVER TAXI LANDING AT FRANKFORT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRIKE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WOULD REQUIRE A 180 DEGREE TURN OVER THE HELIPAD TO OFFLOAD A PATIENT. THE PILOT STATED HE INITIATED A PEDAL TURN OVER THE HELIPAD ROTATING THE HELICOPTER COUNTERCLOCKWISE. AFTER THE TURN WAS COMPLETED, THE PILOT STATED HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO LAND AND HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER THE SKIDS WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE PEDALS AND INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN. FURTHER EXAMINATION BY THE PILOT REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE MADE CONTACT WITH A 4 FOOT POLE NEXT TO THE HELIPAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED AS WELL AS NO POST IMPACT FIRE. POST INCIDENT REVIEW INDICATED NO MAINTENANCE ABNORMALITIES.

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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