20150724015779A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · MD Helicopters 369FF · Vega Baja, PR · July 24, 2015

Date: July 24, 2015 · 09:45 local
Place: Vega Baja, PR
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: JL0L
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5842Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15LA280
Reported as: MD Helicopters 369FF
Reported engine: Allison 250-C30 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,700 total733 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N5842ZRegistered now · MD Helicopters 369FFS/N 0137FF Airframe modelMD Helicopters 369FF 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.

The flight departed from luis muÑoz marin international airport (sju) to a facility in arecibo, PR. While enroute at 300FT in the vicinity of cerro gordo, Vega Baja, PR the pilot heard a loud bang from the engine followed by engine power loss and engine chip and low rotor RPM annunciators. The pilot proceeded to do an auto rotation and landed the aircraft. The tail got separated from the aircraft on ground impact. The rotors also sustained damage. The aircraft landed in 2 feet of water.

As the FAA filed it

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM LUIS MUÑOZ MARIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SJU) TO A FACILITY IN ARECIBO, PR. WHILE ENROUTE AT 300FT IN THE VICINITY OF CERRO GORDO, VEGA BAJA, PR THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE ENGINE FOLLOWED BY ENGINE POWER LOSS AND ENGINE CHIP AND LOW ROTOR RPM ANNUNCIATORS. THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO DO AN AUTO ROTATION AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT. THE TAIL GOT SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT ON GROUND IMPACT. THE ROTORS ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN 2 FEET OF WATER.

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 ERA15LA280Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportVega Baja, PRA total loss of engine power due to insufficient lubrication to the engine's No. 2 bearing, which resulted in the failure of the bearing and a subsequent forced landing.Jul 24, 2015 · Substantial damage