Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 N214AM

Summary

On 5 January 2018 at about 01:00 local time, a Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 registered N214AM, operated by Air Methods Corp, was involved in an accident near Norfolk, Nebraska, United States. 3 people were 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

5 January 2018 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Norfolk, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

42.0225, -97.4136

Aircraft

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407

Registration

N214AM

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2014

Engines

1

Operator

Air Methods Corp

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Omaha → Norfolk

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN18CA072

Nobody was injured.

Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the tail rotor drive shaft cover, which resulted in the cover departing the helicopter in flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and two medical crewmembers were on a return flight to a hospital helipad. During the approach to the helipad, the crew heard a noise outside the helicopter. The medical crewmembers reported they felt a slight "shudder" on the helicopter but attributed it to the wind as they approached the helipad. The pilot heard the noise, but there was no effect on the controls or flight characteristics, so he continued the landing without further incident. After engine shutdown, the oncoming pilot noticed that the helicopter's tail rotor drive shaft cover was missing. The surrounding area near the helicopter's approach path was searched, and the missing cover was found. An examination of the helicopter noted substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft. The day before the accident, scheduled maintenance was performed on the helicopter's tail rotor pitch change mechanism, which required removal of the drive shaft cover. The cover was reinstalled, and no problems were reported during a subsequent preflight inspection. It is likely that maintenance personnel did not properly secure the cover fasteners after the cover was reinstalled.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.