EMS helicopter pilot had partial engine failure at very low altitude.

Attributes
ACN	413133
Time
Date	199809
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent : intermediate altitude other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 700 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	413133
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Making an altitude over airspeed takeoff out of a confined emergency scene, I encountered rapid reports from one of the engines with a simultaneous loss of power. I lowered the power and checked airspeed and elected to use the altitude to accelerate to V/toss, as the area directly ahead was not the best alternative and I could reach V/toss before descending below cdp altitude. I was climbing out at reduced power by 30 ft AGL. I contacted approach and declared an emergency as soon as all was stabilized. I elected to fly direct to my point of origin which is my base at ZZZ. My choice of emergency destination is the reason for this report. My perception of the situation was this: 1) I had an engine problem, yet could not identify which one -- I just knew I could not pull maximum power without having a more severe problem, and I could not rely on 1 engine. 2) I had my crew and a patient on board and my main concern was to fly the aircraft and secure the safety of my crew, then the safety of the patient. I had eliminated the first problem of compressor stalls by lowering the power. I had an unreliable engine, yet all was under control at the reduced power setting. I needed to decide now where I was going. My choices were abc, 10 NM away across heavy populated areas. Military AFB approximately 5 NM ahead yet coordination for continued patient xfer and other coordination problems, I perceived ZZZ coordination for everything I needed could easily be arranged with minimum delay. I chose to proceed direct ZZZ and to change my decision only if the situation changed. I flew over sparsely populated, forced landing suitable areas, still close enough to military AFB, with intentions of going there if things got worse. After making a safe run-on, low power landing and xferring the crew and patient to an ambulance to continue the mission, I began to reflect on how it could have been better and the only thing I can think of as maybe better would have been going to military AFB where they are probably better prepared to handle an emergency landing, and were closer to the occurrence site. I never disregarded them as an alternative and local county fire and EMS had made it to ZZZ before I did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI PLT HAD PARTIAL ENG FAILURE AT VERY LOW ALT.

Narrative: MAKING AN ALT OVER AIRSPD TKOF OUT OF A CONFINED EMER SCENE, I ENCOUNTERED RAPID RPTS FROM ONE OF THE ENGS WITH A SIMULTANEOUS LOSS OF PWR. I LOWERED THE PWR AND CHKED AIRSPD AND ELECTED TO USE THE ALT TO ACCELERATE TO V/TOSS, AS THE AREA DIRECTLY AHEAD WAS NOT THE BEST ALTERNATIVE AND I COULD REACH V/TOSS BEFORE DSNDING BELOW CDP ALT. I WAS CLBING OUT AT REDUCED PWR BY 30 FT AGL. I CONTACTED APCH AND DECLARED AN EMER AS SOON AS ALL WAS STABILIZED. I ELECTED TO FLY DIRECT TO MY POINT OF ORIGIN WHICH IS MY BASE AT ZZZ. MY CHOICE OF EMER DEST IS THE REASON FOR THIS RPT. MY PERCEPTION OF THE SIT WAS THIS: 1) I HAD AN ENG PROB, YET COULD NOT IDENT WHICH ONE -- I JUST KNEW I COULD NOT PULL MAX PWR WITHOUT HAVING A MORE SEVERE PROB, AND I COULD NOT RELY ON 1 ENG. 2) I HAD MY CREW AND A PATIENT ON BOARD AND MY MAIN CONCERN WAS TO FLY THE ACFT AND SECURE THE SAFETY OF MY CREW, THEN THE SAFETY OF THE PATIENT. I HAD ELIMINATED THE FIRST PROB OF COMPRESSOR STALLS BY LOWERING THE PWR. I HAD AN UNRELIABLE ENG, YET ALL WAS UNDER CTL AT THE REDUCED PWR SETTING. I NEEDED TO DECIDE NOW WHERE I WAS GOING. MY CHOICES WERE ABC, 10 NM AWAY ACROSS HVY POPULATED AREAS. MIL AFB APPROX 5 NM AHEAD YET COORD FOR CONTINUED PATIENT XFER AND OTHER COORD PROBS, I PERCEIVED ZZZ COORD FOR EVERYTHING I NEEDED COULD EASILY BE ARRANGED WITH MINIMUM DELAY. I CHOSE TO PROCEED DIRECT ZZZ AND TO CHANGE MY DECISION ONLY IF THE SIT CHANGED. I FLEW OVER SPARSELY POPULATED, FORCED LNDG SUITABLE AREAS, STILL CLOSE ENOUGH TO MIL AFB, WITH INTENTIONS OF GOING THERE IF THINGS GOT WORSE. AFTER MAKING A SAFE RUN-ON, LOW PWR LNDG AND XFERRING THE CREW AND PATIENT TO AN AMBULANCE TO CONTINUE THE MISSION, I BEGAN TO REFLECT ON HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER AND THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF AS MAYBE BETTER WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING TO MIL AFB WHERE THEY ARE PROBABLY BETTER PREPARED TO HANDLE AN EMER LNDG, AND WERE CLOSER TO THE OCCURRENCE SITE. I NEVER DISREGARDED THEM AS AN ALTERNATIVE AND LCL COUNTY FIRE AND EMS HAD MADE IT TO ZZZ BEFORE I DID.

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.