Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Memorial Hospital Of Carbondal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Carbondale, Illinois 62901
Sunday, November 13, 2011 4:05 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During an engine shutdown procedure following an emergency medical services flight, a main rotor blade sustained substantial damage when it contacted the left vertical stabilizer. The main rotor blade was broken near its root, and the tailboom and tail rotor driveshaft cover were dented. The local recorded wind was 25 knots gusting to 34 knots. The damage was consistent with the main rotor blade flapping with the gusty wind conditions and impacting the stabilizer. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The main rotor blade’s contact with the vertical stabilizer during the engine shutdown in strong, gusty wind conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/13/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 405 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Carbondale |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 62901 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 374337N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0891316W |
| Event Location Airport | Memorial Hospital of Carbondal |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 5IS1 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 500 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 452 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MDH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 411 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 25 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 34 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.74 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KMDH 131052Z AUTO 19025G34KT 10SM OVC026 16/11 A29 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29442 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA AGL ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 29 2011 2:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N330SL |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA078 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| 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 | MESSERSCHMITT-BOLKOW-BLOHM |
| Aircraft Model | BK 117 B-2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7216 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 11 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 12990 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AIR METHODS CORP |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7301 S PEORIA ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | ENGLEWOOD |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80112-4133 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AIR METHODS CORP |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 7301 S PEORIA ST |
| Operator City | ENGLEWOOD |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80112-4133 |
| Operator Code | QMLA |
| 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 | QMLA253U |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Sparta |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 5IS1 |
| Destination City | Carbondale |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2011 7:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | male |
| 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 | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |