Pilot Debrief

BELL OH-58 near Altadena, CA — 2012-11-17

Final reportWPR13GA044
Sign in to save
Date
2012-11-17
Location
Altadena, CA, USA
Aircraft
BELL OH-58
Registration
N911FA
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The landing pilot's failure to maintain clearance with from obstacles a parked prior to landinghelicopter and the other pilot's failure to park the helicopter inside of a marked parking pad. Contributing to the accident was the landing pilot's obscured visibility due to moisture on the windscreenAlso contributing to the accident was the other pilot's action of placing the helicopter outside of a marked parking pad.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot had conducted traffic evaluation flights earlier in the day. After conferring with her lieutenant, she decided to attempt another flight with the understanding that she would return if the weather was not good. She departed, and after a few minutes, returned to the heliport to land due to deteriorating weather. While the helicopter was airborne, another pilot had moved a helicopter out of the hangar and parked outside of the marked parking pad area designated as "Pad 1." He later stated that he parked outside the pad because of drainage issues and that he was not on the radios because he would be off the ground in a couple of minutes and he did not believe there would be a conflict. The pilot had started the engine and begun the start-up sequence. Upon return to the heliport, the pilot of the landing helicopter scouted the landing area to make sure it was clear. The pilot observed the other helicopter parked near the parking pad, but due to rain on the windshield, she was not able to determine whether the helicopter was inside or outside of the marked box or if the main rotor blades were turning. The landing pilot stated that, as a result of the rain on her windscreen and side windows, she was looking straight ahead and using the chin window and her periphery to land inside the box. She radioed her intention to land and received no response. She then made the approach to the main pad, assuming that the other helicopter was inside the box for Pad 1, and then hover-taxied toward the adjacent parking pad (Pad 2). She was focused on her landing pad area, and as she lowered the collective to land on Pad 2, the pilot did not confirm adequate clearance, and the main rotor blades of the landing helicopter contacted the main rotor blades of the parked helicopter. At the time of the accident, there was no established monitored UNICOM frequency at the heliport, and there were no procedures to alert ground personnel that a helicopter was arriving to the heliport other than by ground personnel "hearing" it approach. The pilot in the parked helicopter had not turned on his radios, and the pilots were not in communication with each other at the time of the accident. As a result of the accident, the air division established monitored UNICOM and radio procedures for arrival and departure of helicopters at the heliport.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

Related mishaps