Incident Overview
A helicopter experienced damage to its main rotor blades when a passenger door unexpectedly separated and struck the rotor system. The incident occurred while the helicopter was being fueled with the engine running.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that after fueling commenced, a ground crewman opened the front passenger door on the opposite side of the helicopter from the pilot. Upon unlatching the door, the ground crewman released it. The door was then blown open by external forces and subsequently separated from its door strut. The detached door struck the main rotor, causing damage to the blades.
Damage Assessment
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its main rotor blades as a result of the impact.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.