Service difficulty report · Gearbox · Urocop EC130B4

Difficulty date
November 17, 2009
Submitted
December 11, 2009
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N11QF
Make and model
Urocop EC130B4
Aircraft serial
3482
Engine
Tmeca ARRIEL2B1
Part
Gearbox
Condition
Making Metal
Location
Main Rotor
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
R, A

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

What was found

ACFT DEPARTED AIRPORT ON A SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT AT 11:54 AM, SHORTLY BEFORE RETURNING, AT APPROX 12:40 PM AT 1,000 FT AGL THE ENGINE "CHIP" LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND WITHIN 4 TO 5 SECONDS ADDITIONAL CAUTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE AURAL WARNING ACTIVATED. PILOT REPORTED ENGINE POWER LOSS AND PROCEDED TO EXECUTE A "POWER OFF" AUTOROTATION LANDING AT APPROX 3/4 OF A MILE FROM AIRPORT WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. NO INJURIES OCCURRED TO PILOT OR PASSENGERS. MX WAS DISPATCHED TO SIGHT. INSP REVEALED EXCESSIVE METAL ON THE MODULE 1 ACCESSORY GB MAGNETIC PLUG, THE ENG ELECTRICAL CHIP PLUG AND SMALL AMOUNTS OF METAL ON MODULE 5 MAGNETIC PLUG AND OIL TANK MAG PLUG. INSPECTIONS ALSO REVEALED THAT THE FREE TURBINE AND AXIAL COMPRESSOR ROTATED FREELY BY HAND AND THE ENG OIL LEVEL WAS NORMAL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT WHEN THE AXIAL COMPRESSOR WAS ROTATED THE STARTER GEN AND ACCESSORY DRIVES WERE NOT ROTATING, INDICATING A POSSIBLE INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE MODULE 1 ACCESSORY GB. (TSO 1318.1 AT TIME OF INCIDENT.

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