Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BK 117 B-2 N370SS

Summary

On 14 May 2022 at about 01:00 local time, a Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BK 117 B-2 registered N370SS, operated by Mercy Flight Central, was involved in an accident near Rochester, New York, 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

14 May 2022 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Rochester, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Strong Memorial Hospital Helip (2NY5)

Coordinates

43.1233, -77.6241

Aircraft

Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BK 117 B-2

Registration

N370SS

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1987

Engines

2

Operator

Mercy Flight Central

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ERA22LA229

Nobody was injured.

An unintentional movement of the cyclic control before takeoff, which resulted the main rotor blades contacting the fixed wire cutter.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After the pilot of the air medical helicopter landed, the medical crew boarded and he prepared the helicopter for takeoff. The pilot stated that he was adjusting a light switch while his right hand was on the cyclic control when he heard a loud “bang.” He subsequently noticed that the rod from the airframe-mounted wire cutter was bouncing back and forth. The pilot then shut down the engines and the crew exited the helicopter. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the main rotor blades that was consistent with them having contacted the wire cutter. The examinations otherwise did not reveal evidence of any anomalies of the flight control system that would have precluded normal operation. Based on this information, while the pilot indicated that he was holding the cyclic control at the time of the event, given the damage to the helicopter and the lack of anomalous findings with the flight control system, nor the existence other external influences like substantive wind, it is likely that he inadvertently moved the cyclic, which resulted in the main rotor briefly moving into a position where it contacted the wire cutter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.