Service difficulty report · Gearbox · Hughes 369D

Difficulty date
December 14, 2002
Submitted
January 21, 2003
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Hughes 369D
Aircraft time
8,937 hours
Engine
Allsn 250C20B
Part
Gearbox
Condition
Failed
Location
Tail Rotor
Stage of operation
AG
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
F
Precautionary procedure
R, A

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

What was found

(CAN) AIRCRAFT WAS BEING USED FOR CAPTURE WORK ON WOLVES 14.5 KMS NORTH OF BANFF NATIONAL PARK. AIRCRAFT WAS IN PURSUIT OF A WOLF THAT WAS NETTED, AIRCRAFT WAS AT A HEIGHT OF 6-10 FT. ABOVE GROUND, TRAVELLING AT 20 MPH IN A CROSSWIND. AT THE TIME OF PROBLEM A FAIR AMOUNT OF LT PEDDLE WAS BEING USED. AIRCRAFT TRAVELLED APPROX. 30FT CROSSWIND WHEN A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD BY PILOT FOLLOWED BY THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY FLYING PAST THE PILOTS CHIN BUBBLE.THE PILOT THEN ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF TO STOP THE ROTATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON A NEARLY LEVEL OR FAIRLY LEVEL SPOT.THE AIRCRAFT HAD COMPLETED 1/2 OF A REVOLUTION BY THE TIME THE PILOT GOT IT ON THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE AI