Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Louisville, Kentucky
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Location: Beattyville, KY
Accident Number: ERA17LA103
Date & Time: 02/07/2017, 0520 EST
Registration: N135LG
Aircraft: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC 135
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Hard landing
Injuries: 3 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Non-scheduled - Air Medical (Medical Emergency)
On February 7, 2017, about 0520 eastern standard time, a Eurocopter EC 135, N135LG, was substantially damaged following a hard landing near Beattyville, Kentucky. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The helicopter departed from the Mt. Sterling base (IOB), Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and was destined for St. Helens, Kentucky. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the emergency medical flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135.
According to the pilot, he was dispatched to an accident scene about 35 nautical miles from his base operations in Mt. Sterling. The pilot checked the weather and completed the risk assessment form. The forecast was for visual meteorological conditions and he departed for the scene sometime before 0500. He further stated that he climbed to 2,500 feet mean sea level and noted the winds to be from the south-west at 35 knots. He stated he was comfortable flying in these conditions, and had flown in these type winds several times before. Once he arrived at the landing zone, he was cautious of electrical wires that were next to the helipad, so he came over the wires at 100 feet to clear them and started to descend at a rate around 200 feet per minute. When he was just above the ground, he tried to increase collective but was unable to arrest the descent. He stated to the crew "this was going to be a hard landing". The helicopter bounced when it hit the ground and rolled over on the right side. The pilot told everyone to remain in the helicopter until the rotor stopped spinning to avoid injuries. After the rotor stopped spinning, all three occupants egressed the helicopter. The pilot stated there were no known mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the helicopter came to rest on the right side. All four main rotor blades were destroyed during impact. All four main rotor pitch links were broken from impact as well as the rotating scissors. The tail boom was fractured at the horizontal stabilizer/fenestron mount. The tail rotor and vertical fin assembly were intact and the blades did not exhibit any damage. The upper left horizontal stabilizer vertical winglet exhibited impact damage from the main rotors. The pilot's windshield and skylight were broken out and the nose bow area was crushed.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Airline Transport
Age: 67, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane; Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/08/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 04/29/2016
Flight Time: 12952 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1089 hours (Total, this make and model), 9908 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 25 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 9 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
Registration: N135LG
Model/Series: EC 135 P2+
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 0731
Landing Gear Type: Ski;
Seats: 5
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/23/2017, AAIP
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 6415 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 2 Turbo Shaft
Airframe Total Time: 3665 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: P&W CANADA
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: PW206B
Registered Owner: AIR METHODS CORP
Rated Power: 431 hp
Operator: AIR METHODS CORP
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Commuter Air Carrier (135)
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Dawn
Observation Facility, Elevation: JKL
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0453 EST
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Unknown
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 29.82 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 14°C / 10°C
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: MOUNT STERLING, KY (IOB)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination: St. Helens, KY
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:
Type of Airspace: Class G
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 None
Latitude, Longitude: 37.557778, -83.706111 (est)
NTSB Identification: ERA17LA103
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Tuesday, February 07, 2017 in Beattyville, KY
Aircraft: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC 135, registration: N135LG
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On February 7, 2017, about 0520 eastern standard time, a Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC 135 P2+, N135LG, was substantially damaged following a hard landing and dynamic roll over near Beattyville, Kentucky. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The helicopter departed from the Mt. Sterling-Montgomery County Airport (IOB), Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and was destined for an emergency medical service heliport located near St. Helens, Kentucky. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the emergency air medical flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135.
According to the pilot, he was dispatched to an accident scene about 35 nautical miles from his base operations in Mt. Sterling. The pilot checked the weather and completed a risk assessment form. The forecast was for visual flight rules and he departed for the scene sometime before 0500. He further stated that he climbed to 2,500 feet mean sea level and noted the winds were from the southwest at 35 knots. He stated he was comfortable flying in those conditions, and had flown in similar conditions several times before. Once he arrived at the landing zone, he was cautious of electrical wires that were next to the helipad, so he maneuvered the helicopter over the wires at 100 feet to clear them and then started about a 200 foot per minute descent. When the helicopter was just above the ground, the pilot increased the collective but the descent did not slow. He stated to the crew "this was going to be a hard landing." The helicopter bounced when it hit the ground and rolled over onto the right side. The pilot told everyone to remain in the helicopter until the rotor stopped spinning to avoid injuries. After the rotor stopped spinning, all three occupants exited the helicopter. The pilot stated the were no known mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the helicopter came to rest on its right side. All four main rotor blades were destroyed during impact. All four main rotor pitch links were broken from impact as well as the rotating scissors. The tailboom was fractured at the horizontal stabilizer/fenestron mount. The tail rotor and vertical fin assembly were intact and the blades did not exhibit any damage. The upper left horizontal stabilizer vertical winglet was damaged consistent with contact from the main rotor blades. The pilot's windshield and skylight were broken and the nose bow area was crushed.
BEATTYVILLE, Ky. (WKYT) - Investigators are still trying to determine what caused a medical helicopter to crash in Lee County.
"I heard the helicopter coming and I thought, something is wrong," Lee County resident Kevin Goble said.
Goble is used to hearing helicopters nearby his home, but says this time it was different.
"I looked out the window and saw him. I thought he's going to fast, he can't land. I mean he was real low and it was about that time I heard it crash," Goble said.
Police says the medical chopper was responding to a single car accident along Highway 52 when it crashed into a nearby field in the St. Helens community.
"I thought he hit the highway. It scared me to death," Goble said.
Lee County Ambulance Director Steve McIntosh says all three crew members survived the crash.
Beattyville Police tell WKYT that police were called to the car crash on Highway 52 around 4:30 a.m. Police called for a helicopter to take a woman injured in the accident to the hospital.
We're told the Air Methods Corporation helicopter was approaching a landing zone when it crashed. The police chief says the chopper was close to the ground when it hit.
The Lee County fire chief said the pilot and one crew member refused treatment. Emergency crews took a second crew member to the hospital with leg and chest pain.
The woman injured in the crash had serious injuries because the force of the crash ejected her from the car. An ambulance took her to a local hospital.
The regional manager of Air Methods tells us they are working with the FAA and NTSB to determine the cause of the crash.
Story and video: http://www.wkyt.com
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