# NTSB MIA90FA081: Aerospatiale 350D, N5778W, Miami, FL, March 8, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 8, 1990, 11:16 local (16:16 UTC)
- Place: Miami, FL
- Coordinates: 26.099561, -80.11927 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0996&lon=-80.1193&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report March 5, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32549
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA90FA081
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32549/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90FA081

## Probable cause

FATIGUE FAILURE OF AN ENGINE TURBINE BLADE, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER.  ROUGH OCEAN WATER IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal
  - turbine assembly,turbine blade - fatigue (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- Roll over, other
  - terrain condition - water,rough (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLT OVR THE OCEAN, WHEN THE PLT HEARD A LOUD NOISE & NOTED A LOSS OF ENG POWER.  HE ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION & TOLD THE PSGRS TO PUT ON THEIR LIFE JACKETS.  AT ABT 100' ABV THE WATER, HE DEPLOYED THE EMERG FLOATS, THEN SUCCESSFULLY LANDED IN THE OCEAN ABOUT 3 MI FROM SHORE.  AFTER LNDG, A WAVE HIT THE HELICOPTER & IT ROLLED OVR.  THE PLT & PSGRS GOT ONTO THE BELLY OF THE HELICOPTER, THEN THE PLT DOVE UNDER THE WATER & RETRIEVED THE ELT.  HOWEVER, AFTER HE ACTIVATED THE ELT, ANOTHER WAVE HIT & THE PLT DROPPED IT AS HE REACHED TO HELP A PSGR.  ONE PSGR EXPIRED ABT 8 HRS LATER & THE OTR PSGR EXPIRED ABT 15 HRS AFTER THE ACDNT.  BOTH DIED FM DROWNING.  THE ACDNT OCCURRED AT ABT 1115 EST; THE COAST GUARD WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SITUATION AT 1530 EST.  THE PLT WAS RESCUED AT 0430 EST THE NEXT DAY.  A SUBSEQUENT EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT A POWER TURBINE BLADE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENG POWER.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5778W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5778W-2013-06-04), registration cancelled 2013-06-04, S/N 1394, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE 350D
- Registry model: [S N I A S AS350D ASTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/s-n-i-a-s-as350d-astar) (registry code 8680803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming LTS-101 600A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-lts-101-600a-series) (registry code 41562, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 1394
- Airframe hours: 1576
- Engines: LYCOMING LTS-101-600A2 615 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: International Helicopter Corp.
- Registered owner: Sinquanon Management Co.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 7, 1990, 1 hours before
- Departed: FISHER ISLAND, FL
- Destination: MYCC, CAT CAY,BAHAMAS, OF
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 26; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,878 total, 808 in this make and model, 1,548 as pilot in command, 82 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F
- Observed at: TMB

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19900308003539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900308003539A), Mar 8, 1990: Snias AS350D, Miami, FL, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Turbine blade failure. Landed on floats. Wave overturned. Passengers drowned. Bogus blades. No raft or flares aboard

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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