Aerospatiale AS 350D N57689

Summary

On 28 September 1989 at about 18:00 local time, a Aerospatiale AS 350D registered N57689, operated by Dooley Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Chamblee, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 September 1989 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Chamblee, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

33.8996, -84.3010

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS 350D

Registration

N57689

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Dooley Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rome → Chamblee

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89FA220

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE MAIN ROTOR SWASHPLATE BEARING DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICANT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED THE AIRPORT, IT WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH UP & YAW UNCONTROLLABLY. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ROTOR SYSTEM SLOWED AS THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED TO IMPACT ON A CITY GOLF COURSE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR SWASHPLATE BEARING HAD FAILED FROM INADEQUATE LUBRICATION. THE STATIONARY SWASHPLATE VENTING HOLE HAD NOT BEEN BLOCKED OFF IN ACCORDANCE WITH AEROSPATIALE SVC BULLETIN #62.02. THE PURPOSE OF THE SVC BULLETIN WAS TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OF THE LUBRICANT. THE SWASHPLATE BEARING HAD BEEN LUBRICATED 249 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. PRIORITY AD 89-21-01 WAS ISSUED TO REDUCE THE LUBRICATION INTERVAL FROM 400 TO 100 HOURS & TO BLOCK THE VENT HOLE IN THE STATIONARY SWASHPLATE. THE FUEL FLOW CONTROL LEVER & FUEL SHUT-OFF CONTROL WERE FOUND IN THE CLOSED POSITION (AS IF THE PLT HAD SHUT DOWN THE ENG BEFORE THE ACDNT).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.