NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA17CA344
Registry · N153GC
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4
Year of manufacture
2010 · 7 years old at event
TCDS
H9EU · AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
Engine
TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1 (747 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20110304
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A0D5ED
Registrant of record
XEBEC LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The ground crewman’s failure to hold onto the passenger door while the main rotor was still rotating, which resulted in the door separating from the helicopter and damaging the main rotor.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the helicopter reported that, after fueling the helicopter with the engine running, the ground crewman opened the front passenger door on the opposite side from the pilot. Upon unlatching the door, the ground crewman released the door, and it was blown open. The door separated from the door strut, and struck the main rotor damaging the blades. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot of the helicopter reported that, after fueling the helicopter with the engine running, the ground crewman opened the front passenger door on the opposite side from the pilot. Upon unlatching the door, the ground crewman released the door, and it was blown open. The door separated from the door strut and struck the main rotor, damaging the blades. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Lack of action-Ground crew - C
- — Aircraft-Aircraft structures-Doors-Passenger/crew doors-Capability exceeded
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2017_GAA17CA344.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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