ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
Beluga, AK — January 21, 2012
Event Information
| Date | January 21, 2012 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ANC12CA018 |
| Event ID | 20120124X00309 |
| Location | Beluga, AK |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 61.64472, -150.10194 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY |
| Model | R44 II |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 133 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
Ground personnel's movement of cargo in windy conditions, which allowed a previously secured cargo sack to blow into the main rotor blades.
Full Narrative
The pilot landed the helicopter at an off-airport site in windy conditions. While he was performing the engine cool-down portion of the checklist, a worker at the site picked up a storage container that was weighing down an empty cargo sack. When the weight was removed, the sack was picked up by the wind, and it contacted the helicopter's main rotor system, resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor blades.
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.