Mbb BK-117 A-3 accident near Cleveland, OH
On January 18, 2002, a Mbb BK-117 A-3 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Cleveland, OH. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 18, 2002
- Place
- Cleveland, OH
- Aircraft
- Mbb BK-117 A-3 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 41.510°N, 81.609°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020131X00155
Official records · IAD02FA026
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Transcripts: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 18, 2002, at 0024 eastern standard time, an MBB (Eurocopter) BK 117 A-3 helicopter, N626MB, operated by CJ Systems Aviation Group, was destroyed when it collided with a brick facade during a take-off from a roof-top helipad at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot and the flight nurse were fatally injured, and the paramedic was seriously injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the medevac flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. At 0017, the medevac crew was notified of an emergency patient pick-up at the Lake West Hospital, Eastlake, Ohio. According to the paramedic, he and the flight nurse gathered their medical equipment and walked out to the helicopter, which was on the primary (eastern most) helipad, facing southwest. They stowed their equipment onboard while the pilot conducted a pre-flight inspection of the helicopter. After he stowed his medical equipment, the paramedic conducted his own pre-flight inspection of the helicopter, then sat in the left front pilot seat for departure. With the crew onboard and the engines started, the pilot positioned the power levers for flight. As the helicopter ascended vertically, the pilot turned the nose of the helicopter to the right (northwest), so it faced a wall that extended 10-feet above the height of the helipads. The paramedic contacted dispatch and the pilot contacted Burke Lakefront Airport Control Tower. When the helicopter was approximately 20-feet above the helipad, while the paramedic was
Probable cause
pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter while hovering, which resulted in its collision with a building. Factors were the confined area, tail wind, and wind gusts.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
