On July 16, 2002, a Bell 212 (registration N5017H) operated by State OF Alaska was involved in an aviation accident near Wasilla, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site, and failure to maintain clearance with trees, which resulted in the main rotor blade striking a tree. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A public use helicopter hit a tree with a main rotor blade during a confined-area landing near a fire line. The pilot continued flying for 30 minutes before discovering the damage.
Incident
During a landing operation in a confined, off-airport area near a fire line, a public use helicopter inadvertently struck a tree with a main rotor blade. The impact caused substantial damage to the blade. The pilot, who was transporting a fire fighting crew, off-loaded the firefighters after landing and continued to operate the helicopter for approximately 30 minutes.
Discovery
Upon returning to the site to recover the fire fighters, the crew informed the pilot that they had noticed a rotor blade strike on a tree. The pilot then conducted a visual inspection of the rotor blades and found a gash in the skin and internal honeycomb structure of one main rotor blade.
Damage
The main rotor blade sustained a gash that penetrated both the outer skin and the internal honeycomb structure. The extent of the damage was such that the blade was substantially compromised. No other damage was reported.