- Date
- May 10, 2020
- Place
- Baghdad, Iraq
- Injuries
- 4 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N12328Bell UH 1N
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Case key
- 101308
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight crew's inadequate situational awareness and failure to maintain adequate clearance from a security barrier during a night takeoff.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to operator, the pilots of the helicopter were departing from the heliport for a routine passenger flight in night visual meteorological conditions. The copilot brought the helicopter to a 4 ft hover, transitioned to the left and had commenced forward flight when the main rotor blades struck a security barrier. The helicopter then impacted the ground and the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. Both pilots reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to operator, the pilots of the helicopter were departing from the heliport for a routine passenger flight in night visual meteorological conditions. The copilot brought the helicopter to a 4 ft hover, transitioned to the left and had commenced forward flight when the main rotor blades struck a security barrier. The helicopter then impacted the ground and the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. Both pilots reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N12328
- Reported as
- Bell UH 1N (No Series)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 135117
- Built
- 1971
- Airframe hours
- 12,368
- Engines
- P&Wc PT6T-3B, 645 horsepower, turbo shaftP&Wc PT6T-3B, 645 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - federal · Public use
- Operator
- US Department Of State
- Registered owner
- US Department Of State
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 9, 2020
- Departed
- OREZ · Baghdad
- Destination
- ORBI · Baghdad
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- OREZ · US Embassy Heliport
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 16, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 12,582 total · 1,160 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 8, 2020
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,195 total · 287 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 9,999 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- ORBI, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.