Accident Details
A pilot conducting an aerial application flight decided to land due to deteriorating weather. He set the helicopter down on a wet, elevated platform intended for refueling and reloading. After landing, the pilot exited the running helicopter, a practice common at the company during such operations. Moments later, the helicopter yawed to the right, slid off the platform, and landed on the mast, resulting in substantial damage to the rotor assembly, left side fuselage, and tail boom.
Pilot Actions
The pilot later stated he did not recall securing the flight controls before exiting the helicopter. He had followed a standard company procedure that allowed exiting the helicopter while the engine was still running during refueling and reloading.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration examination of the accident scene revealed that the flight control friction locks were not tight at the time of the incident. Additionally, the landing platform was found to be not level.
Industry Practices
A representative of the helicopter manufacturer noted that the company had not published any restriction against a pilot exiting the helicopter while it was running. However, the pilot's operating handbook includes a note in the engine shutdown procedure stating: "Pilot -- remain at flight controls until rotor has come to a complete stop." A representative of the National Agricultural Aviation Association stated that while hot refueling (refueling with the engine running) was common in the industry, the practice of exiting a running helicopter was not.