CEN20LA264

During departure from a portable dolly, the helicopter crew flew over an area where silt construction fencing was installed. While the helicopter flew about 10 ft above ground level and over the fence, the fence became unsecured and blew up and into the main rotor system. The crew then performed a forced landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and tail rotor blades. Although the crew was aware of the fence, they did not believe it would be a factor during the departure because they had previously flown over it with no issues.

On July 4, 2020, about 1357 eastern daylight time (EDT), an Airbus Helicopter BK117, N263MH, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Wayne County Airport (KBJJ), Wooster, Ohio. The two commercial pilots sustained no injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 helicopter air ambulance flight. Surveillance video showed that after lifting off a portable dolly, the helicopter turned right and briefly hovered. As the helicopter began to take off following the hover, it traversed a grassy area adjacent to the ramp about 10 ft above ground level, where a silt construction fence was obscured by tall grass. As the helicopter overflew, the fence became unsecured and blew up and into the main and tail rotor system. The crew then performed a forced landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and tail rotor blades. At the time of the accident, there were no notices to air missions for the construction fence, and the presence of the fence was not contained within any publications or notices available to pilots. According to the pilots, the construction in the area of the fencing had started about 2 months prior to the accident and that coincided with the installation of the fence. One of the pilots stated that he had inspected the fence himself and remembered the bottom being buried in the ground about 4 to 6 inches and attached to wooden stakes with staples and nails. He said, regarding the silt fence, that he “never imagined it would come out at that altitude.” The second pilot stated that he had flown over it so many times, he did not take notice of it as a factor.