Summary
On November 15, 2007, a Eurocopter France EC 130 B4 (N810MH) was involved in an incident near Meadview, AZ. All 7 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The downward flexing of the standing helicopter's main rotor blades and subsequent impact with its tail boom as a result of another helicopter's rotor blade's vortices.
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The pilot reported that he had just landed and was in the process of shutting the engine down when another company helicopter landed at his 2 o'clock position about 40 to 50 feet away. The vortices created by the second helicopter's main rotor blades caused the main rotor blades of the standing helicopter to flex downward before impacting its tailboom, which resulted in substantial damage to the standing helicopter.
This incident is documented in NTSB report SEA08CA027. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N810MH.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The downward flexing of the standing helicopter's main rotor blades and subsequent impact with its tail boom as a result of another helicopter's rotor blade's vortices. .
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he had just landed and was in the process of shutting the engine down when another company helicopter landed at his 2 o'clock position about 40 to 50 feet away. The vortices created by the second helicopter's main rotor blades caused the main rotor blades of the standing helicopter to flex downward before impacting its tailboom, which resulted in substantial damage to the standing helicopter.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA08CA027