EMS HELI ON FERRY FLT HAS ENG OVERHEAT. SHUTS DOWN BUT UNABLE TO CLB SINGLE ENG. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG; TAIL STRIKES OAK TREE.
Synopsis
EMS HELI ON FERRY FLT HAS ENG OVERHEAT. SHUTS DOWN BUT UNABLE TO CLB SINGLE ENG. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG; TAIL STRIKES OAK TREE.
Narrative
I WAS PLT ON DUTY FOR AN EMER HELI SVC. I RECEIVED AN EMER DISPATCH TO AN AUTO ACCIDENT. I FLEW TO THE CLOSEST SAFE LNDG AREA; WHICH WAS THE X HOSPITAL. I EXPECTED TO IMMEDIATELY TRANSFER THE ACCIDENT VICTIM FROM NEARBY CITY TO HOSPITAL A THAT NIGHT. WHEN I RESTARTED THE HELI'S ENGS; AFTER LOADING THE ACCIDENT VICTIM; A FIREMAN WAVED FOR MY ATTN AND SAID HE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE R ENG DURING START. I SHUT THE ENGS DOWN AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS SAFER TO SEND THE ACCIDENT VICTIM TO HOSPITAL A BY OTHER MEANS. I CALLED THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION AND TOLD HIM I WOULD WAIT UNTIL DAYLIGHT TO SEE IF I THOUGHT THE HELI WAS FLYABLE. SO DUE TO THE LATE HR; I SENT MY CREW BACK WHILE I GOT SOME SLEEP. AT XX30 AM I DID A PREFLT CHK OF THE HELI INCLUDING: THE ENG CHIP DETECTOR PLUGS AS PRESCRIBED BY DAILY AD. I CALLED THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT AND TOLD HIM THE HELI LOOKED OK FROM THE VISUAL INSPECTION. I DISCUSSED STARTING THE ENGS AND DOING A HOVER CHK. IF EVERYTHING LOOKED WITHIN LIMITS I WOULD FLY THE HELI BACK. MR X AGREED. I CHKED THE AREA AROUND THE HELI TO SEE IF I WOULD FIND EVIDENCE OF THE SPARKS RPTED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. I FOUND NOTHING EXCEPT A SMALL BURNED AREA IN THE GRASS. I RAN UP THE HELI; DID SEVERAL SATISFACTORY HOVER CHKS AND ELECTED TO TKOF. AFTER TKOF THE #2 ENG OVERHEATED AND I DETERMINED THAT I SHOULD SHUT THE ENG DOWN AND CONTINUE FLT ON 1 ENG. IT SOON BECAME EVIDENT THAT; ALTHOUGH I COULD MAINTAIN ALT ON 1 ENG; I COULD NOT MAINTAIN A CLB; SO I PROCEEDED TO A PRESELECTED EMER LNDG ZONE. DURING MY DSCNT TO LNDG IN THE EMER LNDG ZONE; THE HELI TAIL STRUCK AN OAK TREE ABOUT 30 FT ABOVE THE GND. I CUSHIONED THE LNDG WITH REMAINING ENG PWR AND COLLECTIVE. AFTER BEING UNABLE TO SHUT DOWN THE #1 ENG FROM WITHIN THE HELI; I EXITED AND SHUT IT DOWN MANUALLY. RETURNING TO RETRIEVE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER; I PUT OUT THE GRASS/BRUSH FIRE UNDER THE HELI AND ASSISTED THE ARRIVING FIRE DEPT CREWS IN ENSURING THAT THE HELI'S ENGS AND FUEL SUPPLY WERE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.