Kaman K 1200 N675TH

Summary

On 13 March 2017 at about 00:00 local time, a Kaman K 1200 registered N675TH, operated by Timberline Helicopters Inc, was involved in an accident near Julian, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 March 2017 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Julian, California, United States

Coordinates

33.0786, -116.6019

Aircraft

Kaman K 1200

Registration

N675TH

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1998

Engines

1

Operator

Timberline Helicopters Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Julian → Julian

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA146

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to conduct a thru-flight walkaround inspection, which resulted in the engine cowling remaining open and subsequently separating from the helicopter and striking the main rotor blades and vertical stabilizer during departure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the helicopter reported that he had landed and was going to reposition to another company landing zone after dropping off his crew chief. The pilot opened the engine cowling to allow the engine to cool before restart. However, the pilot did not perform a thru-flight walkaround inspection and climbed into the cockpit and took off. About 60 seconds after departure, he felt a large thump throughout the airframe and then landed as soon as practicable. Upon shutdown and inspection, he noticed that the engine cowling had departed the helicopter and struck the right two main rotor blades and the vertical stabilizer, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendations section of the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot specified that the company has issued a policy that prohibits opening the engine cowling for the sole purpose of allowing the engine to cool. Additionally, the policy directed a pretakeoff helicopter inspection to be completed by a qualified technician.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.