ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 298360
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| Date: | Wednesday 24 October 2001 |
| Time: | 13:00 LT |
| Type: |  MD Helicopters MD 600N |
| Owner/operator: | D.j.l. Properties |
| Registration: | N451DL |
| MSN: | RN-042 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 451 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce 250-C47M |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Laughlin, Nevada -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Laughlin, NV |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The McDonnell Douglas 600N helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and rotor blades during startup. The helicopter was parked on a formal helipad atop a 26-story building. After the pilot performed a routine preflight, he and the passengers boarded the helicopter for a local area flight. On engine startup, after about two revolutions of the rotor blades, three of the five blades contacted the tail boom. The pilot stated that the helicopter was pointed south, with the wind out of the north about 20 knots. The wind condition was not unusual for the area and location. The routine for a downwind liftoff was to perform a pedal turn into the wind for departure. The pilot stated that there is nothing in the Rotorcraft Flight Manual nor in the formal factory training for startup in windy conditions. Investigators reviewed the information in the Rotorcraft Flight Manual and found no limitations or restrictions concerning starting engines in strong wind conditions. According to FAA Aircraft Certification information, the helicopter complies with the minimum requirements for main rotor blade separation from the tailboom. According to an engineer in the Aircraft Certification Office responsible for the Type Certificate, the helicopter has a history of and is susceptible to main rotor strikes on the tailboom, if the main rotor rpm drops while the helicopter is either skidding to a halt, or is stationary in a strong wind.
Probable Cause: the manufacturer's failure to provide warning information and ground training about the possibilities of boom strikes by the rotor blades in windy conditions and low rotor rpm situations.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX02LA016
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Oct-2022 17:05 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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