Aerospatiale AS350D N350AP

Summary

On 28 July 1987 at about 21:50 local time, a Aerospatiale AS350D registered N350AP, operated by Jones, Jones & Welch, was involved in an accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts, 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

28 July 1987 at 21:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS350D

Registration

N350AP

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Jones, Jones & Welch

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nantucket → Hyannis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC87LA220

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 FLIGHT WAS ENROUTE FROM NANTUCKET TO HYANNIS WHEN THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE VIBRATION, LOSS OF POWER TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM, AND A LOSS OF HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. THE HELICOPTER MADE AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING IN WATER ABOUT 25 FEET IN FRONT OF A FISHING BOAT AND 8 MILES NORTH OF NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS, WHILE ON A BUSINESS FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER EMERGENCY FLOATS WERE AT THE FACTORY BEING REPAIRED. THE PILOT EXITED WITH MINOR INJURIES AND THE HELICOPTER SANK INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THE HELICOPTER WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WATER. THE ENGINE TO THE MAIN ROTOR GEARBOX DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY AND A GIMBAL JOINT ASSEMBLY WERE EXAMINED IN THE NTSB MATERIALS LABORATORY. THE MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE OCCURRED IN THE AREA OF THE FORWARD FLEXIBLE COUPLING. THE INTERNAL SURFACES OF THE JUNCTION CASE HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE ROTATIONAL DAMAGE IN THE VICINITY OF THE GIMBAL JOINT PIVOT POINTS. THE DAMAGE INCLUDED DEEP CIRCUMFERENTIAL CHANNELS CUT INTO THE CASE AND SEVERE HEATING/FRETTING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.