- Date
- April 12, 1982
- Place
- Alcoa, TN
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3605BS.N.I.A.S. AS350D Astar
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19820412009189A
- Case key
- 69732
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While preparing to land, the pilot experienced a tail rotor drive failure at a speed of less than 60 knots. At that speed, he was unable to make the necessary right turn from his position to land on the runway. Instead, he climbed about 50 ft in a left turn to line-up for a run-on landing. As he slowed to about 20 knots at low altitude, the helicopter began to yaw hard to the left. The collective was lowered to touchdown before control was lost. During the landing, the helicopter bounced and rotated about 90 degrees before coming to rest. An examination revealed that the number 4 tail rotor drive shaft bearing, pn 6007-2RS1MT47CA, had seized. The tail rotor drive shaft and rubber mounting collar continued turning until the seized bearing chaffed through the collar and also the drive shaft itself. Subsequently, the tail rotor drive shaft, pn 350A34-0110-02, sheared. The tail rotor drive shaft bearing was factory lubed and sealed and had no retirement time limit. The bearing failed after 729 hours of operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3605B
- Reported as
- S.N.I.A.S. AS350D Astar (AS350D AST)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1215
- Airframe hours
- 729
- Engine
- Lycoming LTS101-600A-2, 615 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Operator
- Mountain Coals Inc.
- Registered owner
- Mountain Coals Inc.
- Departed
- Middesboro, KY
- Destination
- Alcoa, TN
- Airport
- TYS · Mcghee Tyson, runway 22, 6,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 4,615 total · 700 in this make and model · 4,510 as pilot in command · 176 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 30,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 149 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TYS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.