S N I A S SA-330J N3601U

Summary

On 23 June 1982 at about 15:10 local time, a S N I A S SA-330J registered N3601U, operated by Petroleum Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States. 13 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

23 June 1982 at 15:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Barnstable Municipal (HYA)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

S N I A S SA-330J

Registration

N3601U

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Petroleum Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hyannis → Hyannis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC82FNA17

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TOOK OFF, AND DURING A CLIMB THROUGH ABOUT 800 FT, HE HEARD A LOUD SNAP AND IMMEDIATELY FELT SEVERE LATERAL VIBRATIONS. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE INBOARD TRAILING EAR OF THE MAIN ROTOR SLEEVE/SPINDLE ASSEMBLY, PN 330A31-002607, FOR THE BLUE BLADE, HAD FAILED. EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE WAS FOUND OVER MOST OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE AND EVIDENCE OF FRETTING CORROSION WAS FOUND AT THE ORIGIN OF THE FATIGUE. ALSO, AN AREA OF FRETTING CORROSION WAS FOUND ON THE TRAILING SIDE FLANGE OF THE HINGE PIN, ON A SURFACE CLAMPED BY THE TORQUE OF THE HINGE PIN NUT. RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE AEROSPATIALE SERVICE BULLETIN 01.35 HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH ON 3/30/82, AND THAT THE HINGE PIN HAD BEEN REPLACED ON 4/10/82, ABOUT 100 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE FAILURE. A SPOT CHECK OF THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY REVEALED THAT 2 OUT OF 3 TORQUE WRENCHES WERE OVERDUE A CALIBRATION CHECK. THE THIRD PROVIDED 54 INCH LBS WHEN SET FOR 120.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.