EMS operation flight crew discovers rotor blade damage on postflt inspection.

Attributes
ACN	305340
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	305340
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My EMS helicopter as well as the helicopter were dispatched to the scene of an automatic over the side of a highway embankment. The helicopter landed first in a confined area next to the road in a town named xyz. The helicopter left the scene and upon leaving disturbed a large amount of debris. When my helicopter was landed in the same location shortly after the other helicopter, the debris was once again disturbed. This is not unusual in EMS helicopter operations, as we almost always are required to land adjacent to roadways where debris collects. After arrival at the hospital with our aircraft victim, a postflt was conducted and a 1 inch void in the main rotor blade tip cap was discovered. This void required temporarily grounding the helicopter and subsequent maintenance action. The blade sustained enough damage to require its removal and replacement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS OP FLC DISCOVERS ROTOR BLADE DAMAGE ON POSTFLT INSPECTION.

Narrative: MY EMS HELI AS WELL AS THE HELI WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE OF AN AUTO OVER THE SIDE OF A HWY EMBANKMENT. THE HELI LANDED FIRST IN A CONFINED AREA NEXT TO THE ROAD IN A TOWN NAMED XYZ. THE HELI LEFT THE SCENE AND UPON LEAVING DISTURBED A LARGE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS. WHEN MY HELI WAS LANDED IN THE SAME LOCATION SHORTLY AFTER THE OTHER HELI, THE DEBRIS WAS ONCE AGAIN DISTURBED. THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL IN EMS HELI OPS, AS WE ALMOST ALWAYS ARE REQUIRED TO LAND ADJACENT TO ROADWAYS WHERE DEBRIS COLLECTS. AFTER ARR AT THE HOSPITAL WITH OUR ACFT VICTIM, A POSTFLT WAS CONDUCTED AND A 1 INCH VOID IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TIP CAP WAS DISCOVERED. THIS VOID REQUIRED TEMPORARILY GNDING THE HELI AND SUBSEQUENT MAINT ACTION. THE BLADE SUSTAINED ENOUGH DAMAGE TO REQUIRE ITS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT.

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.