# NTSB ERA22LA091: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, N920PD, Manhattan, NY, December 13, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 13, 2021, 16:10 local (21:10 UTC) - Place: Manhattan, NY · Concrete helipad - Coordinates: 40.701214, -74.009028 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7012&lon=-74.0090&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104433 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA091 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104433/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104433 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA091 ## Probable cause The pilots overapplication of flight controls during landing, which resulted in the rotor blades contacting the wire strike protection system and subsequent hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1182158), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to condition; cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040/cases.md?model=1182158), [All aircraft, 116 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=1182158), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1182158), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Ground resonance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/232); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/232/sequence.md?model=1182158), [All aircraft, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/232/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during landing and once established directly over the helipad, he proceeded to hover taxi over to the assigned landing location, but during touchdown the helicopter unexpectedly shifted forward, rotating onto the front skids, then began to oscillate. The crew heard a loud “bang” and subsequently the helicopter became airborne briefly before settling down hard on the pavement and the helicopter started to go into ground resonance, becoming uncontrollable. The pilot reported that the helipad was congested with several other aircraft on the ground and two preparing to land, so when the helicopter became uncontrollable, he “dumped” the collective and rolled back the throttle. During the oscillations, the main rotor blades stuck the wire strike protection system, which resulted in substantial damage to the rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N920PD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N920PD), registered now, S/N 57233, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 429 - Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-429) (registry code 1182158) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D1/D2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw207d1-d2) (registry code 52299, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 57233 - Year built: 2014 - Airframe hours: 3680 - Engines: Pratt and Whitney Canada PW207D1 621 horsepower turbo shaft; Pratt and Whitney Canada PW207D1 621 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft - local, Public use - Operator: New York City Police Department - Registered owner: New York City Police Department - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Unknown, December 8, 2021, 1.2 hours before - Departed: FBF, Brooklyn, NY - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: JRB, Downtown Manhattan/Wall St - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 24, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,432 total, 531 in this make and model, 1,158 as pilot in command, 118 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 41; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 6, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,520 total, 350 in this make and model, 1,350 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 18 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: NYC, 5 nm away - METAR: KNYC 132151Z AUTO 23007KT 10SM CLR 11/M08 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP227 T01061078 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20211213021059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211213021059A), Dec 13, 2021: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, New York, NY, Substantial damage. Helicopter N920PD while landing at the New York city downtown heliport experienced a hard landing. The airman touched down on a designated parking area. After… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 24, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104433. 5.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13099657&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilots%206120%20Accident%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13098741&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memo for record_engine data collection units (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13098328&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record_Data%20Collection%20Units-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_FAA (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13098731&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_FAA-Rel.pdf - Photo array_accident site and helicopter damage (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 284 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13098525&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Damage%20Photographs_N920PD-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.