Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Albert Lea Medical Center Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Albert Lea, Minnesota 56007
Saturday, January 1, 2011 18:14 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot said that he completed a preflight inspection at the beginning of his shift. He noted that earlier in the day, prior to the accident flight, he verified fuel control settings at the request of one of the mechanics. Both of these required that the engine cowling doors be opened. The pilot stated that prior to the accident flight, he visually checked the security of doors and cowlings, leaking fluids, tie downs, and the overall condition of the aircraft. He reported that after starting the number one engine, the flight medic commented that she heard an unusual sound. He subsequently asked her to check the security of the cowling door latches. When the flight medic returned, she informed him that the latches appeared to be secure. He stated that the flight proceeded without incident until about 1/2-mile from the destination helipad, he heard a loud bang and thump from the rear of the helicopter. Shortly thereafter the helicopter started to vibrate and he thought that the noise and vibration might be something from the rotor system. He elected to continue the approach to the destination helipad and subsequently landed without further incident. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to all four main rotor blades. The lower portion of the left engine cowling door was separated. No anomalies were observed with respect to the airframe side of the cowling door latches. The separated portion of the door was not recovered.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the engine cowling latches prior the flight, which resulted in the cowling door opening in-flight and striking the main rotor blades.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/1/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1814 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Albert Lea |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 56007 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 433910N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0932218W |
| Event Location Airport | Albert Lea Medical Center |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 30MN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1253 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1745 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RST |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 39 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 19 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28128 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Minneapolis FSDO (Rother) |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2011 2:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N145SM |
| NTSB Number | CEN11CA152 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH |
| Aircraft Model | MBB-BK 117 C-2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 9298 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3585 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 28 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 490 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | MAC U1228-120 |
| Aircraft Owner City | SALT LAKE CITY |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84111-2580 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Omniflight Helicopters, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 16415 Addison Road |
| Operator City | Addison |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75001 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 99MN |
| Departure City | Rochester |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1743 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 30MN |
| Destination City | Albert Lea |
| Destination State | MN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 10 2011 1:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sort |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |