What was found
ON 4-24-98, AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FIRE FIGHTING MISSION. DURING CLIMB-OUT, A LOUD 'BANG' SOUND OCCURRED, FOLLOWED BY A LEFT YAW. THE LOAD OF WATER WAS JETTISONED AND PILOTS PUSHED MAXIMUM BEEP ON BOTH ENGINES. THE NR 1 ENG WAS CARRYING THE LOAD. THE NR 2 ENG READ 70 PERCENT N1, 485 DEGREES CELSIUS T5, 6-700 POUND FUEL FLOW, AND ZERO TORQUE. ENG WAS NOT PRODUCING ANY POWER SO IT WAS AN IN-FLIGHT FAILURE. ACFT LANDED IN FIRST AVAILABLE CLEAR AREA AND SHUT DOWN. WHEN MOTORING NR 2 ENG, A VIBRATION WAS FELT IN THE AIRFRAME. THE ENG WAS RETURNED TO ERICKSON AIR-CRANE WHERE ONE 2ND STAGE BLADE WAS FOUND FRACTURED JUST ABOVE THE ROOT PLATFORM. IT WAS SENT TO PWA, FOR FAILURE INVESTIGATION AND REPORT ON CAUSE.