- Date
- August 9, 1982, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Afton, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N10067Aerospatiale SA-315B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 9, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19820809035279A
- Case key
- 69692
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
En route during a seismic operation a loud screeching, grinding sound was heard. The pilot reported the aircraft seemed to buck. A long flame emitting from the aft end of the aircraft was observed by witnesses. The engine ceased and the aircraft crashed into trees. Engine disassembly revealed substantial internal damage to the aft axial compressor bearing, axial compressor blades and diffuser blades. Two sections of the no.3 stator blade were examined and revealed surface markings indicative of fatigue.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10067
- Reported as
- Aerospatiale SA-315B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2276
- Airframe hours
- 5,418
- Engine
- Turbo-Meca ARTOUSTE IIIB, 562 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Both
- Flight
- Part 133
- Operator
- Blain Sales, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Blain Sales, Inc.
- Departed
- Afton, WY
- Destination
- Afton, WY
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
- 37
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 6,350 total · 600 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Temperature
- 46 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N10067 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.