EN28 pilot put main rotor tie-down where it could be sucked into the tail rotor.

Attributes
ACN	507462
Time
Date	200104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	F-28 Enstrom Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	controller non radar : 12 controller radar : 12 flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 61
ASRS Report	507462
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We got paged for a flight with a 5 min lift time. I did a walkaround, took main rotor tie-down off and laid it on the ground next to the enstrom. Medical crew came along and also did a walkaround and missed tie-down and the main rotor tie-down got sucked up in tail rotor with damage to the enstrom tail rotor. There was a thump accompanied by a vibration in a hover and a precautionary landing was made. I think the pressure caused by getting a medical helicopter off the ground quick is a contributory factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EN28 PLT PUT MAIN ROTOR TIE-DOWN WHERE IT COULD BE SUCKED INTO THE TAIL ROTOR.

Narrative: WE GOT PAGED FOR A FLT WITH A 5 MIN LIFT TIME. I DID A WALKAROUND, TOOK MAIN ROTOR TIE-DOWN OFF AND LAID IT ON THE GND NEXT TO THE ENSTROM. MEDICAL CREW CAME ALONG AND ALSO DID A WALKAROUND AND MISSED TIE-DOWN AND THE MAIN ROTOR TIE-DOWN GOT SUCKED UP IN TAIL ROTOR WITH DAMAGE TO THE ENSTROM TAIL ROTOR. THERE WAS A THUMP ACCOMPANIED BY A VIBRATION IN A HOVER AND A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS MADE. I THINK THE PRESSURE CAUSED BY GETTING A MEDICAL HELI OFF THE GND QUICK IS A CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR.

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.