# Incident 20260827011149I: Airbus Helicopters Inc MBB-BK117 D-3, Bigfork, MT, August 27, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 2026, 14:27 local time
- Place: Bigfork, MT
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.0633° N, 114.0726° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bigfork, MT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.0633&lon=-114.0726&mi=10
- Aircraft: N145TB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N145TB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-3 (registry code 5620037, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-mbb-bk117-d-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Safran ARRIEL-2E (registry code 59998, https://openairdocs.org/engine/safran-arriel-2e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC MBB-BK117 D-3
- Reported engine: SAFRAN ARRIEL 2E
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 6,108 total, 76 in this make and model, 82 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260827011149I

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 27, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 02:08 MDT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE PIC OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED GLACIER PARK INTERNATIONAL (KGPI), MONTANA, WITH RADIO EQUIPMENT AND FOUR PEOPLE ONBOARD. THE DESTINATION WAS A RIDGE LINE RADIO REPEATER SITE NEAR BIGFORK, MT. THE PIC WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A CONFINED, PINNACLE LZ. WHILE REDUCING COLLECTIVE WITH SKIDS ON THE SURFACE, ROTOR BLADES DROOPED DOWN AND CONTACTED THE TOP OF A SMALL TREE. AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED BACK INTO A HOVER AND THE OPERATION WAS ABORTED.

AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO KGPI FOR EVALUATION. NO ABNORMAL VIBRATIONS OR CHANGES TO FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OCCURRED DURING RETURN TO AIRPORT. INSPECTION REVEALED AN APPROXIMATE 5 INCH DELAMINATION ON THE TRAILING EDGE OF ONE ROTOR BLADE. NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF A BLADE STRIKE WERE PRESENT ON DAMAGED AND ADDITIONAL BLADES.

POST LZ EXAMINATION REVEALED THE TOP OF A SMALL ALPINE TREE HAD BEEN REMOVED. APPROXIMATE DIAMETER WAS ONE INCH.

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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