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20030625013709A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Hughes 369E · Big Timber, MT · June 25, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 25, 2003 · 09:00 local
Place
Big Timber, MT
Airport
Big Timber Airport
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1502
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA03TA116
Reported as
Hughes 369E
Reported engine
Allison 250C20
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
9,450 total6,100 in this make and model140 in the last 90 days
N1502Registration cancelled Jul 25, 2012 · Hughes Helicopters 369ES/N 0312E · Built 1989Airframe modelHughes Helicopters 369EEngine modelRolls-Royce 250-C20BTurbo-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.

(-23) While performing predator control, a usda helicopter engine sustained complete failure while aircraft was at approximately 40' AGL with an airspeed of approximately 40 knots. A teardown, inspection and examination of the engine (s/n cae 836294) at the rolls royce (allison) facility in indianapolis determined the compressor-coupling adapter was fractured. The forward end of the compressor coupling adapter remained lodged within the compressor impeller while the aft end remained on the spur adapter gearshaft. Further metallurgical inspection and examination of the compressor impeller and spur adapter gearshaft are scheduled to take place at the NTSB lab in Washington d.c. on July 21, 22 and 23, 2003. A metallurgical report will be issued upon completion. An amended FAA form 8020-23 will be completed subsequent to further information obtained. (-23 amendment) received draft of factual report from privacy data omitted NTSB. Final factual report and determination of cause to be established sometime after February 20, 2004. Discussed report with privacy data omitted, investigator/rolls royce, who advised that the failure of the compressor coupling adapter was the contributing causal factor of this helicopter accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE PERFORMING PREDATOR CONTROL, A USDA HELICOPTER ENGINE SUSTAINED COMPLETE FAILURE WHILE AIRCRAFT WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 40' AGL WITH AN AIRSPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 40 KNOTS. A TEARDOWN, INSPECTION AND EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE (S/N CAE 836294) AT THE ROLLS ROYCE (ALLISON) FACILITY IN INDIANAPOLIS DETERMINED THE COMPRESSOR-COUPLING ADAPTER WAS FRACTURED. THE FORWARD END OF THE COMPRESSOR COUPLING ADAPTER REMAINED LODGED WITHIN THE COMPRESSOR IMPELLER WHILE THE AFT END REMAINED ON THE SPUR ADAPTER GEARSHAFT. FURTHER METALLURGICAL INSPECTION AND EXAMINATION OF THE COMPRESSOR IMPELLER AND SPUR ADAPTER GEARSHAFT ARE SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE AT THE NTSB LAB IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON JULY 21, 22 AND 23, 2003. A METALLURGICAL REPORT WILL BE ISSUED UPON COMPLETION. AN AMENDED FAA FORM 8020-23 WILL BE COMPLETED SUBSEQUENT TO FURTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED. (-23 AMENDMENT) RECEIVED DRAFT OF FACTUAL REPORT FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ NTSB. FINAL FACTUAL REPORT AND DETERMINATION OF CAUSE TO BE ESTABLISHED SOMETIME AFTER FEBRUARY 20, 2004. DISCUSSED REPORT WITH ^PRIVACY DATA O^, INVESTIGATOR/ROLLS ROYCE, WHO ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE COMPRESSOR COUPLING ADAPTER WAS THE CONTRIBUTING CAUSAL FACTOR OF THIS HELICOPTER ACCIDENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA03TA116Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportBig Timber, MTFretting on the outside diameter of the compressor coupling adapter which resulted in fatigue and subsequent fracture of the adapter, and ultimately the disconnection of the compressor from the turbine assembly. Contributing factors were low rotor RPM, uneven…Jun 25, 2003 · Substantial damage