What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft experienced engine problems, pilot made emerg landing in the field, broke the skid, main rotor struck the grou (.4)the helicopter was traveling in an easterly direction at an airspeed of 60 knots, while maintaining a constant 5 foot clearance over the rice field, when the transmission failed. The pilot turned the helicopter to the right to avoid a tall tree, as he simultaneously initiated a forced landing. During the touchdown on soft ground, both skids and the collapsed and the tailboom was severed by the main rotor blades. According to the maintenance records, the main transmission (part number 23700-9, serial number 617), which has a recommended tbo of 1,200 hours, had accumulated 1,048 hours since its last overhaul in 1993. According to the manufacturer, the 23700-9 transmissions are subject to a recurring inspection of the oil filter every 50 flight hours in accordance with airworthiness directive 81-17-03. According to the maintenance logbooks, the last compliance with AD 81-17-03 was 340 hours prior to the accident, on March 26, 1996. Examination of the transmission by the manufacturer's representative revealed a massive failure of the first stage planetary gear system due to lack of lubrication. (-23) commercial pilot kenneth mcdowell, while operating UH-12E, N4028T, was performing aerial applications about 4 miles east of delaplaine, AR. Pilot heard a loud pop and grinding sound, engine over revved. Aircraft landed in field. Main rotor hit ground and was chopped in half. Suspected transmission failure.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS, PILOT MADE EMERG LANDING IN THE FIELD, BROKE THE SKID, MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROU (.4)THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELING IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION AT AN AIRSPEED OF 60 KNOTS, WHILE MAINTAINING A CONSTANT 5 FOOT CLEARANCE OVER THE RICE FIELD, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE PILOT TURNED THE HELICOPTER TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A TALL TREE, AS HE SIMULTANEOUSLY INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN ON SOFT GROUND, BOTH SKIDS AND THE COLLAPSED AND THE TAILBOOM WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS, THE MAIN TRANSMISSION (PART NUMBER 23700-9, SERIAL NUMBER 617), WHICH HAS A RECOMMENDED TBO OF 1,200 HOURS, HAD ACCUMULATED 1,048 HOURS SINCE ITS LAST OVERHAUL IN 1993. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THE 23700-9 TRANSMISSIONS ARE SUBJECT TO A RECURRING INSPECTION OF THE OIL FILTER EVERY 50 FLIGHT HOURS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 81-17-03. ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS, THE LAST COMPLIANCE WITH AD 81-17-03 WAS 340 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, ON MARCH 26, 1996. EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION BY THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE REVEALED A MASSIVE FAILURE OF THE FIRST STAGE PLANETARY GEAR SYSTEM DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. (-23) COMMERCIAL PILOT KENNETH MCDOWELL, WHILE OPERATING UH-12E, N4028T, WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATIONS ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF DELAPLAINE, AR. PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP AND GRINDING SOUND, ENGINE OVER REVVED. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN FIELD. MAIN ROTOR HIT GROUND AND WAS CHOPPED IN HALF. SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4028T · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.