SDR 2023F00178

Service difficulty report · Servo · Kaman K1200

Difficulty date
May 22, 2023
Submitted
May 22, 2023
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N314
Make and model
Kaman K1200
Aircraft serial
A940032
Part
Servo
Condition
Broken
Location
M/R Blade
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE LEFT HAND MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CRASH. A SERVO FLAP BROKE OFF WHILE THE PILOT WAS LIFTING AN EXTERNAL LOAD CAUSING THE LEFT WHITE BLADE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT ROTOR HEAD THAT LEAD ROTOR SYSTEM TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT ROLLED UNCONTROLLABLY COMING TO A REST ON IT'S NOSE FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT. EVENT SHOULD HAVE INITIATED AN EMERGENCY AD AS THIS IS NOT THE FIRST KMAX HELICOPTER WITH THIS FAILURE. ANOTHER KMAX HAD THE SAME FAILURE IN 2010 THAT FATALLY INJURED THE PILOT, THERE IS ANOTHER ACCIDENT IN CANADA THAT HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER N314 THAT FATALLY INJURED THAT PILOT. THAT LAST ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BUT ALL SIGNS POINT TO THE SAME FAILURE POINT. THE FAA NOW IS AWARE OF THIS RECURRENT FAILURE SPOT AND SHOULD ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE WHEN ANOTHER KMAX HELICOPTER REPEATS THE FAILURE IF NO AD IS ISSUED. I UNDERSTAND THESE KMAX HELICOPTERS ARE DOING OPERATIONS THAT ARE DEEMED DANGEROUS BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT THESE HELICOPTERS ARE OUT DOING OPERATIONS THEY WERE DESIGNED AND APPROVED TO DO.

More about the Kaman K-1200