What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on may 4, 1995, at 5:41 am, Bell helicopter, model 412, N3893N, operated by petroleum helicopters, inc. (phi), was en route to an offshore platform in the gulf of Mexico, east cameron block 195, when the pilot-in-command heard a muffled pop followed by a vibration to the aircraft and its controls. Without further incident, the pilot returned to the phi base in Sabine, Texas, where the flight had originated at 5:36 that morning. There were no injuries and no further damage to the aircraft. The flight was conducted under the provisions of visual flight rules. Inspection of the aircraft after the flight by phi maintenance personnel revealed that the stainless steel vent fitting on the no.2 engine exhaust ejector, Bell part no. 209-062-534-003, came loose during flight causing damage to two of the four main rotor blades and the tail rotor blades. Phi sent the tail rotor blades to a metallurgical testing laboratory which confirmed the fact that the material was, in fact, stainless steel.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON MAY 4, 1995, AT 5:41 AM, BELL HELICOPTER, MODEL 412, N3893N, OPERATED BY PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS, INC. (PHI), WAS EN ROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, EAST CAMERON BLOCK 195, WHEN THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND HEARD A MUFFLED POP FOLLOWED BY A VIBRATION TO THE AIRCRAFT AND ITS CONTROLS. WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE PHI BASE IN SABINE, TEXAS, WHERE THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED AT 5:36 THAT MORNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE FLIGHT BY PHI MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REVEALED THAT THE STAINLESS STEEL VENT FITTING ON THE NO.2 ENGINE EXHAUST EJECTOR, BELL PART NO. 209-062-534-003, CAME LOOSE DURING FLIGHT CAUSING DAMAGE TO TWO OF THE FOUR MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. PHI SENT THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES TO A METALLURGICAL TESTING LABORATORY WHICH CONFIRMED THE FACT THAT THE MATERIAL WAS, IN FACT, STAINLESS STEEL.
Other reports on N3893N · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.