rotorspeed
12th Jun 2006, 08:34
Just seen this on the NTSB accident report site, report paraphrased below.
Appears to be engine malfunction, wx fine, nothing found on initial investigation of wreckage. Haven't seen this sort of thing before. Bit surprised heliport landing was still attempted rather than find nearby airfield. Any 135 drivers got a view on what might have happened?
"On May 30, 2006, at 1645 eastern daylight time, a Eurocopter EC-135P1, N601FH, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while maneuvering to land at the Washington Hospital Center Helipad (DC08), Washington, D.C. The certificated airline transport pilot and two medical crew members were seriously injured. The critically ill patient on board the helicopter later died at the hospital for reasons not yet determined. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight.
The helicopter approached the helipad from the south, and over flew the pad. The helicopter then completed a teardrop-shaped circuit and again over flew the pad, traveling southbound. After crossing the pad, a left-hand circuit was flown around the east side of the hospital grounds. The helicopter turned westbound in what approximated a base-leg turn, then the radar target was lost in the area of the crash site. The altitudes recorded from the first over flight of the helipad to the last radar target were between 200 and 300 feet msl.
When the helicopter approached the pad, it "shuffled" and the engine rpm increased. The pilot increased collective pitch, and reduced the throttle on the number 1 engine to control engine and rotor rpm, then aborted the landing. He was able to control the rpm, and does not recall any visual or aural warnings regarding rpm limits. For the remainder of the flight, the number 1 engine was operated in manual mode, and the number 2 engine remained in automatic mode.
As the pilot maneuvered the helicopter over the golf course, the "shuffle" worsened, and the helicopter became uncontrollable. He remembered a building and a tree were in the helicopter's flight path as it descended, and maneuvered toward the tree. The pilot transmitted a "Mayday" call and alerted his crew prior to touchdown.
The flight medic stated that as the helicopter terminated the first approach, he heard an audio alarm in his headset, and "it felt like the helicopter lost power." The helicopter circled for a second attempt, and as they approached the landing pad, the medic again heard the audio alarm in his headset, and the landing was aborted.
The pilot announced that he was "losing power," and couldn't slow the helicopter. As they flew around the hospital center, the pilot announced that they would return and attempt a landing at the lower helipad.
Once over the golf course, the helicopter began to vibrate. The vibration increased, the nose yawed from side to side, and the helicopter "went into a spin." It descended vertically, struck a tree, then terrain, and rolled over on its side.
The pilot had 15,613 total hours of flight experience, 12,413 hours of which were in helicopters, and 914 hours of which were in make and model. His most recent FAR Part 135 competency check was completed December 22, 2005 in the EC-135 helicopter.
The helicopter had accrued 2,995 total flight hours."
Appears to be engine malfunction, wx fine, nothing found on initial investigation of wreckage. Haven't seen this sort of thing before. Bit surprised heliport landing was still attempted rather than find nearby airfield. Any 135 drivers got a view on what might have happened?
"On May 30, 2006, at 1645 eastern daylight time, a Eurocopter EC-135P1, N601FH, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while maneuvering to land at the Washington Hospital Center Helipad (DC08), Washington, D.C. The certificated airline transport pilot and two medical crew members were seriously injured. The critically ill patient on board the helicopter later died at the hospital for reasons not yet determined. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight.
The helicopter approached the helipad from the south, and over flew the pad. The helicopter then completed a teardrop-shaped circuit and again over flew the pad, traveling southbound. After crossing the pad, a left-hand circuit was flown around the east side of the hospital grounds. The helicopter turned westbound in what approximated a base-leg turn, then the radar target was lost in the area of the crash site. The altitudes recorded from the first over flight of the helipad to the last radar target were between 200 and 300 feet msl.
When the helicopter approached the pad, it "shuffled" and the engine rpm increased. The pilot increased collective pitch, and reduced the throttle on the number 1 engine to control engine and rotor rpm, then aborted the landing. He was able to control the rpm, and does not recall any visual or aural warnings regarding rpm limits. For the remainder of the flight, the number 1 engine was operated in manual mode, and the number 2 engine remained in automatic mode.
As the pilot maneuvered the helicopter over the golf course, the "shuffle" worsened, and the helicopter became uncontrollable. He remembered a building and a tree were in the helicopter's flight path as it descended, and maneuvered toward the tree. The pilot transmitted a "Mayday" call and alerted his crew prior to touchdown.
The flight medic stated that as the helicopter terminated the first approach, he heard an audio alarm in his headset, and "it felt like the helicopter lost power." The helicopter circled for a second attempt, and as they approached the landing pad, the medic again heard the audio alarm in his headset, and the landing was aborted.
The pilot announced that he was "losing power," and couldn't slow the helicopter. As they flew around the hospital center, the pilot announced that they would return and attempt a landing at the lower helipad.
Once over the golf course, the helicopter began to vibrate. The vibration increased, the nose yawed from side to side, and the helicopter "went into a spin." It descended vertically, struck a tree, then terrain, and rolled over on its side.
The pilot had 15,613 total hours of flight experience, 12,413 hours of which were in helicopters, and 914 hours of which were in make and model. His most recent FAR Part 135 competency check was completed December 22, 2005 in the EC-135 helicopter.
The helicopter had accrued 2,995 total flight hours."