Accident Narrative
On September 27, 2013, at 1938 eastern daylight time, an Estrom F-28C helicopter, registration N631DP, received minor damage when a relieved pilot walking from the helicopter was fatally injured after coming into contact with the rotating main rotor blade. The accident occurred near Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, while the helicopter was operating as a local sightseeing flight at a local fair under 14 CFR Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was originating at the time.
The pilot/owner, seated at the controls in the left front seat, was the sole occupant and was not injured. According to his written statement, he approached the left side of the helicopter, rested on the seat, and looked into the cockpit while considering the location of the seat belt, headset, and interior condition. He then heard a 'thud.' Local law enforcement reported that the pilot in the helicopter had just taken over from the relieved pilot, who was walking away. The pilot stated he saw the relieved pilot walking, thought he had moved beyond the main rotor blades, and looked down to fasten his seatbelt. While fastening, he heard the rotor blades strike something and saw the relieved pilot on the ground. The relieved pilot was located between the 10 and 11 o'clock position forward of the helicopter on a level grassy helipad near the fair entrance.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The relieved pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine and multiengine land, airplane single-engine sea, instrument airplane and helicopter, glider, and rotorcraft helicopter. He reported 3,900 total flight hours, with 600 hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued in December 2012, and he reported a height of 71 inches. According to the helicopter flight manual, the main rotor could droop to a minimum height of 72 inches.
The helicopter was manufactured in 1980 and registered to Heritage Rotors, LLC in 2010. The most recent annual inspection was performed on July 2, 2013, and the helicopter had accumulated 2,198 total flight hours. The helicopter was equipped with a crew compartment that included pilot and passenger/co-pilot seating, with removable co-pilot controls. No mechanical anomalies were reported.
Operator Procedures and Conditions
The pilot/owner stated that company practice when exiting the helicopter was to disengage the rotor drive system and secure the collective control with a friction lock. In this condition, the rotor blades droop below normal height, with the droop being non-symmetrical and most pronounced in the 9 to 12 o'clock position of the rotor disk. The pilot/owner could not conceive why the relieved pilot would approach the aircraft at that position, stating it was not their practice nor his habit.
Weather conditions reported at an airport about 26 nautical miles northwest included calm wind. According to the helicopter manufacturer representative, main rotor height can vary depending on landing gear servicing and cyclic position, and the rotor can descend lower than six feet when operating.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was stated in the source.