19940313011519I

Incident

FAA incident report · Bell 206L-3 · Patterson, LA · March 13, 1994

Date: March 13, 1994 · 08:15 local
Place: Patterson, LA
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: ALGA
Aircraft: N348AL
Reported as: Bell 206L3
Reported engine: Allison 250C30P
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,908 total171 in this make and model194 in the last 90 days

N348ALRegistration cancelled Mar 22, 2002 · Bell 206L-3S/N 51386 · Built 1990 Airframe modelBell 206L-3 Engine modelAllison 250-C30 seriesTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: while at a cruise flight of 1,000 feet mean sea level over the gulf of Mexico, the pilot reported that he heard a grinding noise coming from the overhead area of the aircraft, followed by a binding in the cyclic control system. The pilot stated that he pulled the hydraulic system circuit breaker, turned the hydraulic switch off, and turned the aircraft back toward the beach. With the hydraulic system off, the pilot landed the aircraft on the nearest beach, which was approximately three miles from the initial occurrence of the hydraulic failure. There was no damage to the aircraft or injury to personnel. Investigation by air logistics maintenance personnel revealed that a hydraulic pressure line had ruptured, causing total loss of hydraulic fluid. The failed hydraulic line was tagged with an aircraft part identification and release tag, FAA form 8020-2, and sent to the manufacturer for evaluation. A maintenance difficulty record was also submitted for the occurrence.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: WHILE AT A CRUISE FLIGHT OF 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE OVERHEAD AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT, FOLLOWED BY A BINDING IN THE CYCLIC CONTROL SYSTEM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PULLED THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM CIRCUIT BREAKER, TURNED THE HYDRAULIC SWITCH OFF, AND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARD THE BEACH. WITH THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM OFF, THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON THE NEAREST BEACH, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES FROM THE INITIAL OCCURRENCE OF THE HYDRAULIC FAILURE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT OR INJURY TO PERSONNEL. INVESTIGATION BY AIR LOGISTICS MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REVEALED THAT A HYDRAULIC PRESSURE LINE HAD RUPTURED, CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID. THE FAILED HYDRAULIC LINE WAS TAGGED WITH AN AIRCRAFT PART IDENTIFICATION AND RELEASE TAG, FAA FORM 8020-2, AND SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR EVALUATION. A MAINTENANCE DIFFICULTY RECORD WAS ALSO SUBMITTED FOR THE OCCURRENCE.

Other reports on N348AL · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20011018037329ALA(-23) While enroute from offshore location to creole, LA, aircraft suffered power loss and pilot autorotated to the water. Pilot reported difficulty in determining aircraft altitude and the subsequent flare, cushion, and final pitch pull applications resulted…Oct 18, 2001 · No damage