Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH MBB-BK 117 C-1 incident near Boston, Massachusetts, December 4, 2010
On December 4, 2010 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH MBB-BK 117 C-1 (helicopter), registered N271NE, suffered minor damage in an incident during approach near Boston, Massachusetts (Brigham & Women'S Hospital airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper installation of wiring associated with a medical cabinet interior, which resulted in chafing and a subsequent in-flight fire. Contributing to the incident was inadequate maintenance procedures for continued airworthiness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2010 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boston, Massachusetts · Brigham & Women'S Hospital · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH MBB-BK 117 C-1
- Registration
- N271NE · no longer on the register · serial 7543
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the air ambulance flight, the helicopter was on final approach to land when smoke and flames were observed emanating from the suction control mounted on the left side of the cabin. The fire was subsequently extinguished, and the pilot landed the helicopter without further incident. Postincident examination revealed fire damage on the face of an overhead medical cabinet that was part of a medical interior installed about 7.5 years prior to the incident per a supplemental type certificate. A sheathed wiring bundle for a 120-volt alternating current power outlet mounted in the aft end of the cabinet displayed chafing damage and arcing consistent with rubbing on the metal housing for the vacuum control switch. The wiring was installed without adequate clearance or support to prevent it from chafing on the switch housing. The helicopter was maintained under an approved inspection program; however, review of the instructions for continued airworthiness associated with the medical cabinet installation did not reveal any required inspections of the associated wiring harnesses for general condition or chafing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Equ/fur sys wiring › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Modification/alteration › Maintenance personnel
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Equ/fur sys wiring › Related maintenance info
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,465 hours in all; 533 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 4,121 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,959 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 1, 2010; 254 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,385 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Turbomeca Ariel 1E2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Turbomeca Ariel 1E2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Era Med LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Oak Bluffs MA at 1:26 pm
- Destination: MA39 Boston MA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from BOS, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA11IA091.