Service difficulty report · Sun Gear · Bell 430

Difficulty date
April 26, 2015
Submitted
April 22, 2016
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Bell 430
Engine
Allsn 250C40B
Part
Sun Gear
Part number
430040116101
Condition
Faulty
Location
Main Rotor
Stage of operation
LD
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R, F
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

(CAN) FINDINGS BY STEPS OF OCCURRENCE: A CRACK SOUND DURING HOVER HEARD BY EVERYONE INCLUDING PASSENGERS. BOTH ENGINES NP POWER TURBINE RPM REACHED TO PERCENT 119.6, NR RPM PERCENT 119.7. DURING HARD LANDING, CROSS-TUBES BENT AND AFT FUSELAGE TOUCHED THE GROUND. SOME DISTORTION OBSERVED ON THE BODY NEAR THE TAILBOOM ATTACHMENT AREA. ENGINES ROTATED BY HAND FROM POWER TURBINES NOTHING ABNORMAL NOTED. TRANSMISSION ROTATED BY HAND FROM T/R BLADES NO STRAIN TO TURN AND NO ABNORMAL SOUND NOTED. ENGINES CHIP DETECTORS INSPECTED NO METALS FOUND. TRANSMISSION BOTTOM CHIPS DETECTORS INSPECTED MINOR METALS PARTICLES OBSERVED. ENGINES OILS DRAINED FOR ANALYSIS , NO ABNORMAL APPEARANCES NOTED. TRANSMISSION OIL DRAINED FOR ANALYSIS. COLOR WAS DARK BLUE AS IF METAL CONTAMINATED.

More about the Bell 430