Incident Overview
A medical evacuation helicopter, responding to a request for an air ambulance medical transfer, experienced a main rotor blade separation during startup. The operator reported that the blade separation occurred when the pilot started the aircraft with the main rotor still tied down. The pilot, with 10,650 flight hours, stated that recognition of this error came too late in the start sequence, and one of the main rotor blades broke and separated from the helicopter.
Preflight Conditions
The operator noted that the preflight inspection was rushed due to pressure induced by the air ambulance mission. The pilot inadvertently left the rotor tied down before initiating the startup, which directly led to the blade separation.
Outcome and Details
The source did not specify the aircraft type, registration, operator, location, date, time of day, weather, ATC involvement, or any injuries or fatalities. The incident involved only the blade separation during startup, with no further details provided about damage extent or other consequences.