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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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July 12, 1983 · Aerospatiale AS-350D · N141EH

Dutch Harbor, AK

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 12, 1983
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (1 serious injury, 3 minor injuries)
Location
Dutch Harbor, AK
Aircraft
Aerospatiale AS-350D
Tail Number
N141EH
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ANC83FA122

Approximately 2 minutes after takeoff, the pilot and passengers heard a loud muffled boom from behind the firewall, then the rotor RPM began to decay. The pilot entered an autorotation and selected a landing area. He noted that the engine was not driving the rotor system, so he shut it down to reduce the possibility of fire while landing. During an emergency landing on sloping, mountainous terrain, the helicopter rolled over, and subsequently, it came to rest in a ravine at the bottom of the slope. A teardown of the engine revealed that the #3 bearing, part number 4-301-051-02, had failed and that the oil jet for the bearing was clogged. Reportedly, maintenance personnel were aware that a differential pressure check, to detect clogging to the #2 and #3 packaged oil jets, was 7 to 8 psi. This was 2 to 3 psi too high and indicated clogging of the oil jets. (This procedure was outlined in Lycoming Service Bulletin LTS101A-17-0014). However, the discrepancy was not entered in the engine maintenance logs.

Full Narrative

APRX 2 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT & PASSENGERS HEARD A LOUD MUFFLED BOOM FROM BEHIND THE FIREWALL, THEN THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY. THE PLT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION & SELECTED A LANDING AREA. HE NOTED THAT THE ENG WAS NOT DRIVING THE ROTOR SYS, SO HE SHUT IT DOWN TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE WHILE LANDING. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON SLOPING, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CAME TO REST IN A RAVINE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLOPE. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE #3 BEARING, PN 4-301-051-02, HAD FAILED & THAT THE OIL JET FOR THE BEARING WAS CLOGGED. REPORTEDLY, MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE AWARE THAT A DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE CHECK, TO DETECT CLOGGING TO THE #2 & #3 PACKAGED OIL JETS, WAS 7 TO 8 PSI. THIS WAS 2 TO 3 PSI TOO HIGH & INDICATED CLOGGING OF THE OIL JETS. (THIS PROCEDURE WAS OUTLINED IN LYCOMING SVC BULLETIN LTS101A-17-0014). HOWEVER, THE DISCREPANCY WAS NOT ENTERED IN THE ENG MAINTENANCE LOGS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:23 AHDT
Nearest Airport10nm SW
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAerospatiale AS-350D
Tail NumberN141EH
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 135
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsLycoming · LTS-101-600A2 · Turboshaft · 615
Seats5

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (1 serious injury, 3 minor injuries)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor3
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 31 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point50 / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data