Incident Overview
A pilot reported that while performing a hot loading operation to bring a second group of fishermen onto the helicopter, a fishing rod inadvertently entered the main rotor disc. The pilot heard a small tick but felt no unusual vibrations or control forces. Despite the sound, the helicopter continued to hover normally without any indication of a problem through the flight controls.
Post-Flight Inspection
After landing and shutting down the helicopter, the pilot conducted a thorough examination and discovered damage to one of the main rotor blades. Referring to the manufacturer's guidelines for main rotor blade damage, the pilot determined that the damage exceeded the permissible repair limits, necessitating blade replacement.
Damage Assessment
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blade as a result of the incident. The pilot noted that there were no pre-existing mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have prevented normal operation before the event.
Contributing Factors
The pilot's report did not attribute the incident to any specific cause beyond the fishing rod entering the rotor disc during the hot loading process. No analysis of causal factors or recommendations for future operations were provided in the source.