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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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August 19, 1987 · Aerospatiale AS-355F-1 · N359E

Ship Shoal 214C

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 19, 1987
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 serious injuries), 2 uninjured
Location
Ship Shoal 214C
Aircraft
Aerospatiale AS-355F-1
Tail Number
N359E
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW87FA203

ACFT experienced a tail rotor drive shaft failure during T/O from an offshore platform. ACFT spun left and completed 6 to 7 revolutions prior to water contact as the single PLT could not reach the throttles to reduce PWR to idle. ACFT landed hard and the RT float deployed on touchdown while the left float did not and the ACFT rolled left. Occupants swam to rig from which T/O had been initiated. Investigation revealed that the forward shaft (No. 1 segment) had failed in the area of the aft splines near the main gearbox oil cooling fan connection. Failure was attributed to fatigue due to fretting caused by abnormal vibration levels induced by the oil cooling fan blades. Analysis indicated that fan blades would become contaminated with deposits of grease, oil, and soot causing vibration to increase from .6 IPS to 4.0 IPS. No previous requirement to clean the fan blades existed and the vibration would not have been detectable by the PLT or PAX.

Full Narrative

ACFT EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT FAILURE DURING T/O FROM AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM. ACFT SPUN LEFT AND COMPLETED 6 TO 7 REVOLUTIONS PRIOR TO WATER CONTACT AS THE SINGLE PLT COULD NOT REACH THE THROTTLES TO REDUCE PWR TO IDLE. ACFT LANDED HARD AND THE RT FLOAT DEPLOYED ON TOUCHDOWN WHILE THE LEFT FLOAT DID NOT AND THE ACFT ROLLED LEFT. OCCUPANTS SWAM TO RIG FROM WHICH T/O HAD BEEN INITIATED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FORWARD SHAFT (NO. 1 SEGMENT) HAD FAILED IN THE AREA OF THE AFT SPLINES NEAR THE MAIN GEARBOX OIL COOLING FAN CONNECTION. FAILURE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO FATIGUE DUE TO FRETTING CAUSED BY ABNORMAL VIBRATION LEVELS INDUCED BY THE OIL COOLING FAN BLADES. ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT FAN BLADES WOULD BECOME CONTAMINATED WITH DEPOSITS OF GREASE, OIL, AND SOOT CAUSING VIBRATION TO INCREASE FROM .6 IPS TO 4.0 IPS. NO PREVIOUS REQUIREMENT TO CLEAN THE FAN BLADES EXISTED AND THE VIBRATION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DETECTABLE BY THE PLT OR PAX.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:35 UTC
Nearest AirportShip Shoal 214C (0nm N)
Runway0
Runway Length50 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAerospatiale AS-355F-1
Tail NumberN359E
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsAllison · 250-C20F · Turboshaft · 420
Seats7

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 serious injuries), 2 uninjured
Fatal0
Serious2
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total4
Crew 1Age 30 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind325° @ 5 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data