Bell 205A-1 N67HJ

Summary

On 20 April 1990 at about 14:30 local time, a Bell 205A-1 registered N67HJ, operated by Heli Jet Corporation, was involved in an accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina, 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

20 April 1990 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

33.1904, -79.9909

Aircraft

Bell 205A-1

Registration

N67HJ

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Heli Jet Corporation

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90FA100

1 person died.

THE IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF A PILLOW BLOCK BOLT, AND THE FAILURE OF THE OPERATOR/REPAIR STATION TO FOLLOW THE OVERHAUL PROCEDURES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED FOR LOGGING USING AN EXTERNAL LIFT LONG LINE. A LOAD OF LOGS WAS RETURNED TO THE LOGGING LANE BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO HEAVY. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS BROUGHT TO A HOVER, & THE LOAD PICKLED, THE GROUND CREW OBSERVED THAT THE HELIOCPTER BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE HELICOPTER NOSE PITCHED UP, IT ROLLED LEFT, & FELL TO THE GROUND FROM ABOUT 200 FEET. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT NONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR PILLOW BLOCK BOLTS WERE PRESENT. DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR WAS CONSISTENT WITH A FAILURE OF ONE OF THE BOLTS, IN-FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN SEPARATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR FROM THE MAST. LABORATORY EXAM OF THE MAIN ROTOR REVEALED THAT MFGRS OVERHAUL PROCEDURES WERE NOT FOLLOWED WHICH PROBABLY ALLOWED CORROSION OF THE BOLTS TO OCCUR. THE PROCEDURES WERE CHANGED TO PRECLUDE RE-USE OF PILLOW BLOCK BOLTS DURING OVERHAUL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.