Eurocopter AS365N3 N520CF

Summary

On 4 July 2010 at about 07:09 local time, a Eurocopter AS365N3 registered N520CF, operated by Air Methods Corp, was involved in an incident near Dayton, Ohio, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 July 2010 at 07:09

Classification

Incident

Location

Dayton, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Moraine Air Park (I73)

Coordinates

39.6825, -84.2428

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS365N3

Registration

N520CF

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Air Methods Corp

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lebanon → Huber Heights

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN10IA372

Nobody was injured.

The unintentional movement of the jettison handle in-flight due to the pilot’s dropping of a manual that impacted the handle and released the door window, which then impacted the horizontal stabilizer. Contributing to the accident was the jettison handle guard not being installed by maintenance personnel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The emergency medical services transport helicopter sustained minor damage when a door window separated in-flight. The pilot dropped a flight manual during cruise flight that impacted the right center door jettison handle, allowing the window to separate and impact the horizontal stabilizer. The required jettison handle guard was not installed. The helicopter’s maintenance manual directs that the crew and passenger doors be checked every 600 hours of flight time or every two years. The manual requires the following steps to reinstall the doors, "Install the Plexiglas protective cover." Subsequent to the accident, the helicopter manufacturer issued Safety Information Notices which described the incident and reminded mechanics that while performing routine maintenance procedures, in particular assembly procedures, “it is important to strictly comply with all applicable maintenance procedures, including the most basic and simple ones, to ensure proper helicopter performance and flight safety.”

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.