Date: 201604
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: MBB-BK 117 All Series
Operator: Air Taxi
Operating under: Part 135
Mission: Ambulance
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class D ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Generator Drive
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Taxi
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Rotorcraft; Flight Crew Commercial
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: My shift started at XA30 and I showed up twenty minutes early to do my preflight and paperwork. Upon completion of those two things; I briefed the crew on weather and went over engine failure and single engine landings as my daily safety topic. The tones went off shortly after XA30 for an inter-facility transfer. We accepted the flight. The flight to the hospital was as planned with no issues. I departed the hospital with two medical crew; a baby (patient) and patient's mother on board. Shortly after leveling off at altitude the GEN OVHT caution appeared on the number one side of the CAD. I shut the number one generator off and after one minute the light was still illuminated; so I announced to the passengers that I need to do a single engine shutdown and I then did the single engine shut down of the number one engine. I watched my torques limits closely and beeped up my rotors. I remained within the normal One Engine Inoperative limits during the whole procedure. Once everything was under control I ask the nurse to read me the GEN OVHT emergency procedure to make sure I hadn't missed a step. All was good. The crew made the call to [company] and I contacted approach control and let them know I would need to come in and land at the airport. They cleared me to land on Runway XX and I requested the taxiway instead. They approved me as requested. I transferred to the tower frequency and continued inbound to the airport. Along the way I briefed the crew but they were already aware of the procedure because this exact emergency procedure was discussed in our safety topic of the day briefing. I communicated with the mother to make sure she understood what the landing was going to be like. At 200 feet I let the passengers know that we needed to have a sterile cockpit. I maintained 40 knots until I was within 12 feet and started to slow up. I knew I wouldn't have enough power to hover because my hover power at the hospital was over 70% torque. When I reached an airspeed in which I could no longer bring in power I gently lowered collective and we completed the flight with a running landing. I went into the OEI (One Engine Inoperative) transient just before touchdown for a couple seconds. Everyone was ok and the patient was transported by our other base. After landing; I walked around the helicopter to inspect for any signs of fire and didn't find anything.




Synopsis: MBB BK-117 pilot reported they had a GEN OVHT caution light which required a shutdown of the number one engine. Successful landing was made at an airport.