20050226001969I

Incident

FAA incident report · Snias AS350B2 · February 26, 2005

Date: February 26, 2005 · 11:30 local
Phase of flight: Idling Rotors
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: EGIA
Aircraft: N351EV
Reported as: Snias AS350B2
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

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) N351EV, s/n 2930, AS350-B2 located on high island platform A350. At approximately 11:30 a.m. on 02/26/2005, with light winds (15MPH) the pilot engaged the starter. At approximately 25-35% ng engine speed, he felt a sudden rotor imbalance and immediately shut down. While applying the rotor brake he noticed one blade out of track by about 6 inches (lower). He did not notice any unusual noises but others in the quarters below the deck reported hearing a loud bang. The pilot reported failure of one of the starflex arms. Unable to determine the cause of the starflex failure. Assy will be sent to the manufacturers lab in france. The complete main rotor assy was replaced. Track and balance was accomplished with the aircraft being returned to service.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N351EV, S/N 2930, AS350-B2 LOCATED ON HIGH ISLAND PLATFORM A350. AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 A.M. ON 02/26/2005, WITH LIGHT WINDS (15MPH) THE PILOT ENGAGED THE STARTER. AT APPROXIMATELY 25-35% NG ENGINE SPEED, HE FELT A SUDDEN ROTOR IMBALANCE AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. WHILE APPLYING THE ROTOR BRAKE HE NOTICED ONE BLADE OUT OF TRACK BY ABOUT 6 INCHES (LOWER). HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY UNUSUAL NOISES BUT OTHERS IN THE QUARTERS BELOW THE DECK REPORTED HEARING A LOUD BANG. THE PILOT REPORTED FAILURE OF ONE OF THE STARFLEX ARMS. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STARFLEX FAILURE. ASSY WILL BE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURERS LAB IN FRANCE. THE COMPLETE MAIN ROTOR ASSY WAS REPLACED. TRACK AND BALANCE WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE AIRCRAFT BEING RETURNED TO SERVICE.