EC135 pilot experiences unusual torque requirements and performs a run-on landing with hard impact.

Attributes
ACN	618770
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sun
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
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	EC 135
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	landing : roll landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 67
ASRS Report	618770
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger illness conflict : ground less severe ground encounters other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : rpm warning other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After loading, I took off and noticed that I needed to pull maximum torque available to get out of the helipad. I thought it was unusual even taking into account the temperature of the day and the wind direction. This was outside my comfort zone. I informed the orientee that after this mission we would be unable to take him due to the total weight of the aircraft. The approach into the hospital took extra vigilance because I knew we were heavy. The approach was uneventful except the last 100 ft I was in the red on the torque readout. On departure, again I was in maximum torque limits. I was cleared to land on runway 13 and hold short of runway 28. I was on a 150 degree heading and cut the corner of the runway to stop north of the intersection of runway 28 and runway 13. The winds were approximately 180-190 degrees according to the windsock. I initiated my approach by reducing collective with a little aft cyclic. Next, I noticed a master caution light and the RPM light on and a gong. I checked the rotor gauge and saw the rotor was overspding. My reaction was to add forward cyclic and pull in collective. The rotor came back within limits but the aircraft continued to descend and accelerate. During this time, tower called and asked if I knew I was to hold north of runway 28. I do not recall responding. With the aircraft descending and accelerating, I knew I was going to overshoot runway 28 with an aircraft taking off. I turned to the left because I saw more open ground hoping the aircraft would begin to level out and climb. But it didn't. I continued to pull collective and I knew the aircraft was going to hit the ground. I informed the crew that we were going to land hard and committed to a run on landing. The aircraft stuck hard but level at above 40 KTS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EC135 PLT EXPERIENCES UNUSUAL TORQUE REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMS A RUN-ON LNDG WITH HARD IMPACT.

Narrative: AFTER LOADING, I TOOK OFF AND NOTICED THAT I NEEDED TO PULL MAX TORQUE AVAILABLE TO GET OUT OF THE HELIPAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS UNUSUAL EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE TEMP OF THE DAY AND THE WIND DIRECTION. THIS WAS OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE. I INFORMED THE ORIENTEE THAT AFTER THIS MISSION WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO TAKE HIM DUE TO THE TOTAL WT OF THE ACFT. THE APCH INTO THE HOSPITAL TOOK EXTRA VIGILANCE BECAUSE I KNEW WE WERE HVY. THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT THE LAST 100 FT I WAS IN THE RED ON THE TORQUE READOUT. ON DEP, AGAIN I WAS IN MAX TORQUE LIMITS. I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 13 AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 28. I WAS ON A 150 DEG HDG AND CUT THE CORNER OF THE RWY TO STOP N OF THE INTXN OF RWY 28 AND RWY 13. THE WINDS WERE APPROX 180-190 DEGS ACCORDING TO THE WINDSOCK. I INITIATED MY APCH BY REDUCING COLLECTIVE WITH A LITTLE AFT CYCLIC. NEXT, I NOTICED A MASTER CAUTION LIGHT AND THE RPM LIGHT ON AND A GONG. I CHKED THE ROTOR GAUGE AND SAW THE ROTOR WAS OVERSPDING. MY REACTION WAS TO ADD FORWARD CYCLIC AND PULL IN COLLECTIVE. THE ROTOR CAME BACK WITHIN LIMITS BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DSND AND ACCELERATE. DURING THIS TIME, TWR CALLED AND ASKED IF I KNEW I WAS TO HOLD N OF RWY 28. I DO NOT RECALL RESPONDING. WITH THE ACFT DSNDING AND ACCELERATING, I KNEW I WAS GOING TO OVERSHOOT RWY 28 WITH AN ACFT TAKING OFF. I TURNED TO THE L BECAUSE I SAW MORE OPEN GND HOPING THE ACFT WOULD BEGIN TO LEVEL OUT AND CLB. BUT IT DIDN'T. I CONTINUED TO PULL COLLECTIVE AND I KNEW THE ACFT WAS GOING TO HIT THE GND. I INFORMED THE CREW THAT WE WERE GOING TO LAND HARD AND COMMITTED TO A RUN ON LNDG. THE ACFT STUCK HARD BUT LEVEL AT ABOVE 40 KTS.

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.