Rotary winged traffic performs an emergency landing.

Attributes
ACN	269077
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n32
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	269077
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	269080
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At time of incident transition training was being conducted in the helicopter for a recent hire company pilot. After a thorough preflight using the flight manual, prestart, engine start, run-up, and before takeoff checks were performed. After takeoff flight was conducted with intent to train at N32 airport. After performing before landing checks, the PF began descent for landing. A loud bang was heard with subsequent vibration noticed making the instrument panel unreadable. I assumed control of aircraft and a minimum power running landing to the N32 airport was made. Landing was uneventful. Engines were shut down and after exiting aircraft, visual inspection was performed revealing the #1 engine cowlings had departed the aircraft striking the main rotor and tail rotor blades. At this point it is unknown whether cowling came loose or was not properly secured. Several walk around inspections were performed after the preflight. According to 49 crash fire rescue equipment 830, this is not an accident and it is unknown as to how much damage was sustained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TFC PERFORMS AN EMER LNDG.

Narrative: AT TIME OF INCIDENT TRANSITION TRAINING WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN THE HELI FOR A RECENT HIRE COMPANY PLT. AFTER A THOROUGH PREFLT USING THE FLT MANUAL, PRESTART, ENG START, RUN-UP, AND BEFORE TKOF CHKS WERE PERFORMED. AFTER TKOF FLT WAS CONDUCTED WITH INTENT TO TRAIN AT N32 ARPT. AFTER PERFORMING BEFORE LNDG CHKS, THE PF BEGAN DSCNT FOR LNDG. A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD WITH SUBSEQUENT VIBRATION NOTICED MAKING THE INST PANEL UNREADABLE. I ASSUMED CTL OF ACFT AND A MINIMUM PWR RUNNING LNDG TO THE N32 ARPT WAS MADE. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN AND AFTER EXITING ACFT, VISUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED REVEALING THE #1 ENG COWLINGS HAD DEPARTED THE ACFT STRIKING THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES. AT THIS POINT IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER COWLING CAME LOOSE OR WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED. SEVERAL WALK AROUND INSPECTIONS WERE PERFORMED AFTER THE PREFLT. ACCORDING TO 49 CFR 830, THIS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT AND IT IS UNKNOWN AS TO HOW MUCH DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.