Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

The fatal Sept.&nbsp;8, 2017 crash of an Airbus BK117C2 helicopter air ambulance occurred after the pilot shut down the number-one engine after the number-two engine began to fail, according to an NTSB final report. “The complete loss of engine power likely occurred at an altitude and/or airspeed that was too low for the pilot to execute a successful emergency autorotative landing,” it added.

 


Operated by Air Methods, N146DU crashed near Hertford, North Carolina, at 11:20 a.m. local time en route to the Duke University Medical Center, killing all aboard—the pilot, both flight nurses, and patient.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


Eyewitnesses reported that the helicopter was trailing thick, dark smoke befoe an impact described as “straight down.” The NTSB investigation found that while the number-two “engine experienced a bearing seizure; the engine continued to run” for a brief period before losing all power and that “neither engine exhibited damage consistent with rotation at time of impact.”

 


An NTSB review of maintenance records found that oil tests on the number-two engine in the nine months before the accident revealed that “metallic contaminants” detected in it, while within manufacturer specifications, were at levels “considerably higher” than the other engine. Further, “The oil test evaluation procedures did not include steps to monitor trends of contaminant concentration levels over time. If the engine manufacturer’s procedures had included appropriate trend monitoring criteria, the impending bearing failure in the No. 2 engine might have been detected and mitigated.”&nbsp;

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Wrong Engine Shutdown Triggers Helicopter Fatal 

An Airbus BK117 C2 crashed after the pilot shut down the No. 1 engine after the No. 2 engine began to fail.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Accidents

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

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