Aerospatiale AS350B N350AP
1 April 1990 · Saipan · No injuries
Summary
On 1 April 1990 at about 13:55 local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B registered N350AP, operated by Micronesian Aviation Corp., was involved in an accident near Saipan. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Saipan
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350B
- Registration
- N350AP
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Micronesian Aviation Corp.
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Koblerville → Anatahan Island
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX90LA132
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF A ROTOR SYSTEM COMPONENT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT AND PAX WERE CRUISING OVER THE PHILIPPINE SEA WHEN THE PILOT FELT AN EXTREME VIBRATION. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE 7-FT SEA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO THE HELICOPTER OVERTURNING HE OBSERVED THAT 'ONE OF THE ELASTOMERIC SPHERICAL THRUST BEARINGS WAS COMPLETELY GONE.' THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY OVERTURNED, SANK AND HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED. THE ACFT'S ROTOR SYSTEM HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN A SUDDEN STOPPAGE MISHAP AND HAD THEREAFTER BEEN REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE BY OTHER THAN THE CURRENT COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerospatiale AS350B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1990 | Aerospatiale AS350B | Wixom, Michigan, United States | City of Detroit | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 1990 | Aerospatiale AS350B | Cloverdale, California, United States | Resort Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 1990 | Aerospatiale AS350B | Glacier, Washington, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Jul 1991 | Aerospatiale AS350B | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | Papillon Airways, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 26 Oct 1991 | Aerospatiale AS350B | Scottsdale, Arizona, United States | Lone Eagle Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 1989 | Aerospatiale AS350B | Puntilla Lake, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |