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20151130023529I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Aircraft · Beaumont, TX · November 30, 2015

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 30, 2015 · 12:45 local
Place
Beaumont, TX
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
ONE
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Other 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.

This incident is being reported in conjunction with the submittal of a voluntary disclosure reporting program (vdrp) therefore any certificate holder identifying data has been omitted form this report.

On November 30, 2015 the pilot of a bell helicopter model 407 reported having a tail rotor type vibration immediately after takeoff from the christus hospital helipad located in Beaumont Texas. The aircraft landed without any apparent aircraft damage or injury to crew.

A company mechanic (different mechanic from who origionally performed the maintenance)was dispatched to the helicopter. Upon removal of the tail rotor driveshaft cowling, the mechanic found 1 bolt missing and 1 bolt loose (finger tight) on the #3 thomas coupling disc pack.

Approximately 4 aircraft operating hours prior to the incident the #3 driveshaft assembly was removed and replaced due to excessive play found during an inspection. The mechanic who origionally performed the work stated he did not have his work looked over prior to installing the tail rotor driveshaft cowling and it was apparent he had left the two coupling bolts loose.

As the FAA filed it

THIS INCIDENT IS BEING REPORTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SUBMITTAL OF A VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE REPORTING PROGRAM (VDRP) THEREFORE ANY CERTIFICATE HOLDER IDENTIFYING DATA HAS BEEN OMITTED FORM THIS REPORT.

ON NOVEMBER 30, 2015 THE PILOT OF A BELL HELICOPTER MODEL 407 REPORTED HAVING A TAIL ROTOR TYPE VIBRATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE CHRISTUS HOSPITAL HELIPAD LOCATED IN BEAUMONT TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT ANY APPARENT AIRCRAFT DAMAGE OR INJURY TO CREW.

A COMPANY MECHANIC (DIFFERENT MECHANIC FROM WHO ORIGIONALLY PERFORMED THE MAINTENANCE)WAS DISPATCHED TO THE HELICOPTER. UPON REMOVAL OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT COWLING, THE MECHANIC FOUND 1 BOLT MISSING AND 1 BOLT LOOSE (FINGER TIGHT) ON THE #3 THOMAS COUPLING DISC PACK.

APPROXIMATELY 4 AIRCRAFT OPERATING HOURS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE #3 DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE PLAY FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WHO ORIGIONALLY PERFORMED THE WORK STATED HE DID NOT HAVE HIS WORK LOOKED OVER PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT COWLING AND IT WAS APPARENT HE HAD LEFT THE TWO COUPLING BOLTS LOOSE.