Bell UH 1N
Baghdad — May 10, 2020
Event Information
| Date | May 10, 2020 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA20CA191 |
| Event ID | 20200511X31917 |
| Location | Baghdad |
| Country | IZ |
| Coordinates | 33.29639, 44.92222 |
| Airport | US Embassy Heliport |
| Highest Injury | MINR |
Aircraft
| Make | Bell |
| Model | UH 1N |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | PUBU |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | NITE |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 4 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 4 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The flight crew's inadequate situational awareness and failure to maintain adequate clearance from a security barrier during a night takeoff.
Full Narrative
According to operator, the pilots of the helicopter were departing from the heliport for a routine passenger flight in night visual meteorological conditions. The copilot brought the helicopter to a 4 ft hover, transitioned to the left and had commenced forward flight when the main rotor blades struck a security barrier. The helicopter then impacted the ground and the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. Both pilots reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.