Aerospatiale AS350D N5778X

Summary

On 21 November 1983 at about 22:25 local time, a Aerospatiale AS350D registered N5778X, operated by Rocky Mountain Helicopters Inc, was involved in an accident near Sweet Springs, Missouri, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

21 November 1983 at 22:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Sweet Springs, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

38.9602, -93.4093

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS350D

Registration

N5778X

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Rocky Mountain Helicopters Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbia → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC84FA029

3 people were seriously 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 HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A POWER LOSS DURING A FERRY FLT. THE PLT STATED THAT AT ABOUT 200 FT TURNING ON A BASE LEG FOR LANDING HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE ENGINE FAILED. A WITNESS SAID HE HEARD THE ENGINE DIE AND SAW THE HELICOPTER DESCEND. THE PLT SAID HE PULLED OFF ROTOR RPM TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ON A SIDEWALK WHILE IN A RIGHT TURN. THE 3 OCCUPANTS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY THE OPERATOR DISCLOSED AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL OPEN OF THE T-4 WIRING HARNESS SPLICE; AEROSPATIALE P/N 320570 EXTENSION LEAD AND P/N 327637 REDUCTION. MOVEMENT OF THE WIRE RESULTED IN A REDUCED INDICATION OF THE T-4 TEMPERATURE GAUGE OF APPROXIMATELY 75 DEGREES AT GROUND OPERATING TEMPERATURES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.