# NTSB WPR13TA081: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, N407KS, Renton, WA, December 28, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: December 28, 2012, 10:15 local (18:15 UTC) - Place: Renton, WA - Coordinates: 47.489166, -122.209442 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.4892&lon=-122.2094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Standing-engine(s) operating: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 14, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 85925 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR13TA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85925/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85925 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13TA081 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control during takeoff from an unstable landing platform. Contributing to the accident was the operator's inadequate chocking procedures for the wheeled landing platform, which included chocking only two of the platforms four rear wheels and led to the platform's instability. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1182154), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=1182154), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Policy/procedure: adequacy of policy/proc](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04021015): Organizational issues › Management · Operator (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04021015/cases.md?model=1182154), [All aircraft, 106 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04021015/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=1182154), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Standing-engine(s) operating: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1182154), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was conducting a public aircraft flight in the helicopter. The pilot reported that the helicopter was located on an 18-inch-high portable landing platform with eight sets of casters, including four fixed rear casters. The pilot reported that, while he was preparing for departure, he increased the throttle, and the helicopter and platform started to rotate. A witness reported that the helicopter lifted up about 1 foot, shifted forward, and then came down hard on the front of the platform, which caused the platform to rotate. Although the pilot attempted to stop the rotation, he was unsuccessful, and the helicopter began to spin. As the helicopter spun, it tipped rearward, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The helicopter's right landing skid came off the platform. The helicopter and cart stopped rotating, and the pilot shut down the engine. The operator reported that it had only been chocking two of the four fixed rear casters on the platform, which, they determined postaccident, resulted in the platform being unstable. The pilot likely prematurely lifted off, touched back down on the forward edge of the unstable platform, and subsequently lost helicopter control when the platform began to rotate. ## Factual narrative "***This report was modified on March 3, 2016. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.***" On December 28, 2012, about 1015 Pacific standard time (PST), a Bell Helicopter, Model 407, N407KS, made a hard landing during a ground handling operation at Renton Municipal Airport (RNT), Renton, Washington. King County Sheriff's Department was operating the helicopter as a public aircraft. The commercial pilot was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor system and to the fuselage. The local law enforcement flight was preparing to depart Renton when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that the helicopter was located on a raised moveable platform that sits about 18 inches off the ground and that the back wheels of the dolly were chocked to prevent movement of the cart. While the pilot was preparing for departure, he increased the throttle, and the helicopter and platform started to rotate. The pilot attempted to stop the rotation by retarding the throttle, but was unsuccessful. The helicopter shifted to the right and the right landing skid came off of the platform. The helicopter stopped spinning and the pilot shutdown all the systems. The helicopter sustained damage to the tail rotor system, fuselage, and the landing gear. A witness reported that he watched the helicopter become airborne and that it lifted up about 1 foot, shifted forward, and then came down hard on the front of the platform, which caused the platform to rotate. He said that the helicopter began to spin, and as it spun, it tipped rearward, and the tail rotor struck the ground. The platform was locally fabricated by the King County Sheriff's Department. It consisted of a platform with 8 sets of casters (total of 16 wheels). The sheriff uses these carts to move aircraft in and out of their hangar. With the exception of the 4 rear fixed casters, the remaining 12 casters swivel. The fixed casters (one wheel in each corner of the cart) were chocked to prevent movement of the platform before the aircraft was operated. Other operators at RNT use similar landing platforms, which use six casters. It was noted that these operators chock all four corner casters to prevent movement of the platform. As a result of this accident and the subsequent investigation, the operator reported that since they had only been chocking the two rear wheels, it did not lead to very good stability of the platform. They have since modified their landing platforms with scissor jacks mounted on all four corners in addition to chocking the wheels. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N407KS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N407KS), registered now, S/N 53812, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 - Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-407) (registry code 1182154) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C47B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47b) (registry code 54585, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 53812 - Engines: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft - local, Public use - Operator: King County Sheriffs Office - Registered owner: King County Sheriffs Office - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: RNT, Renton, WA - Destination: RNT, Renton, WA - Airport: RNT, Renton Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 10, 2010; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 431 total, 184 in this make and model, 384 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 104 °F, dew point 100 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: RNT ## 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 20121228027599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121228027599A), Dec 28, 2012: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, Renton, WA, Substantial damage. On December 28, 2012, at approximately 1015 pacific standard time, a Bell model 407 helicopter, registration number N407KS, operated by the king county… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 13, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85925. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 976 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40435548&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Factual Narrative Revision (item 2, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437402&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Factual%20Narrative%20Revision-Master.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.