Aerospatiale AS 355F-1 N5796A

Summary

On 4 February 1985 at about 14:53 local time, a Aerospatiale AS 355F-1 registered N5796A was involved in an accident near Sabine Pass, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

4 February 1985 at 14:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Sabine Pass, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.7304, -93.8891

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS 355F-1

Registration

N5796A

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW85LA111

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

WHILE EN ROUTE AT AN ALT OF 500 TO 700 FT, THE #1 ENG SPOOLED DOWN. THE PLT SECURED THE #1 ENG & TURNED BACK TOWARD THE HELIPORT TO MAKE A SINGLE ENG LANDING. HOWEVER, HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN LEVEL FLT & THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN DROPPING. THE PLT NOTED THAT THE #2 ENG HAD HI TEMP (ABOVE 900 DEGS) & LOW TORQUE. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE INFLATED THE POPOUT FLOATS & MADE A PARTIAL POWER LANDING IN A MARSH. DUE TO LOW ROTOR RPM, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD & WAS DAMAGED. THE #1 ENG WAS REMOVED & CHECKED IN A TEST CELL & IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE #2 ENG WAS DAMAGED; HOWEVER, IT'S FUEL MANAGEMENT SYS CHECKED NORMAL. THE ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN IN RAIN SHOWERS WITHOUT USING THE ENG ANTI-ICE. OPERATOR PERSONNEL SUSPECTED THAT INLET ICING CAUSED THE #1 ENG TO FLAME OUT & THE #2 ENG TO LOSE PARTIAL POWER. A WITNESS ESTIMATED THE SURFACE AIR TEMP WAS 33 DEGS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.