Narrative:

I departed a rural community with 2 flight nurses and 1 patient for a local hospital. Approximately 15 mins into the flight, engine #2 chip light illuminated. I activated the chip pulse switch 3 times to turn off any fuzz on the chip detector. Still, the caution light remained illuminated. I consulted the checklist and executed it. #2 engine was secured and the helicopter was flown to a local airport at 3000 ft. The landing was uneventful and the patient was transported by ambulance to the hospital. An emergency was not declared since I deemed it unnecessary. The flight and landing were conducted safely without creating a hazard to any passenger, property, or people on the ground. ZZZ was the closest airport at the time of the incident. However, I was required to fly 5 mi across open water. Life vests were available to all passenger on board the helicopter. Corrective action: I feel very confident about my decisions, as in the action of not declaring an emergency, and flying overwater on 1 engine. That is of course until somebody convinces me otherwise. I'm always open for suggestions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF BK117 HELI EXPERIENCES CHIP DETECTOR WARNING. SHUTS DOWN 1 OF 2 ENGS AND PROCEEDS TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED A RURAL COMMUNITY WITH 2 FLT NURSES AND 1 PATIENT FOR A LCL HOSPITAL. APPROX 15 MINS INTO THE FLT, ENG #2 CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I ACTIVATED THE CHIP PULSE SWITCH 3 TIMES TO TURN OFF ANY FUZZ ON THE CHIP DETECTOR. STILL, THE CAUTION LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. I CONSULTED THE CHKLIST AND EXECUTED IT. #2 ENG WAS SECURED AND THE HELI WAS FLOWN TO A LCL ARPT AT 3000 FT. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. AN EMER WAS NOT DECLARED SINCE I DEEMED IT UNNECESSARY. THE FLT AND LNDG WERE CONDUCTED SAFELY WITHOUT CREATING A HAZARD TO ANY PAX, PROPERTY, OR PEOPLE ON THE GND. ZZZ WAS THE CLOSEST ARPT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. HOWEVER, I WAS REQUIRED TO FLY 5 MI ACROSS OPEN WATER. LIFE VESTS WERE AVAILABLE TO ALL PAX ON BOARD THE HELI. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT MY DECISIONS, AS IN THE ACTION OF NOT DECLARING AN EMER, AND FLYING OVERWATER ON 1 ENG. THAT IS OF COURSE UNTIL SOMEBODY CONVINCES ME OTHERWISE. I'M ALWAYS OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS.

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.