Accident Overview
On July 4, 2020, at about 1357 eastern daylight time, an Airbus Helicopter BK117, registration N263MH, sustained substantial damage during an accident at Wayne County Airport (KBJJ), Wooster, Ohio. The two commercial pilots aboard were not injured. The helicopter was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 helicopter air ambulance flight.
Sequence of Events
Surveillance video of the accident showed that after lifting off a portable dolly, the helicopter turned right and briefly hovered. As it began to take off following the hover, it traversed a grassy area adjacent to the ramp at about 10 feet above ground level. In that area, a silt construction fence was obscured by tall grass. As the helicopter overflew, the fence became unsecured and blew up and into the main and tail rotor system. The crew then performed a forced landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and tail rotor blades.
At the time of the accident, no notices to air missions (NOTAMs) had been issued for the construction fence, and its presence was not included in any publications or notices available to the pilots.
Pilot Statements
According to the pilots, construction in the area of the fencing had started about two months prior to the accident, coinciding with the installation of the fence. One of the pilots stated that he had inspected the fence himself and recalled that the bottom was buried in the ground about 4 to 6 inches and attached to wooden stakes with staples and nails. He said, regarding the silt fence, that he “never imagined it would come out at that altitude.” The second pilot stated that he had flown over it so many times that he did not take notice of it as a factor.