Aerospatiale AS-332L N25AN

Summary

On 5 July 1996 at about 20:30 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-332L registered N25AN, operated by Trump Plaza Management, was involved in an accident near Lakewood, New Jersey, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 July 1996 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakewood, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Lakewood (N12)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-332L

Registration

N25AN

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Trump Plaza Management

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Morristown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC96LA143

Nobody was injured.

a number two system module hydraulic oil leak, which was ignited by an undetermined source and resulted in a hydraulic fluid fire.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After three flights, the helicopter was landed and the engines were shut down. When a passenger was boarded, the engines were restarted, and the pilot taxied the helicopter for takeoff. While waiting to takeoff, about 5 to 10 minutes after the engines were started, the pilot noticed a stiffness in the flight controls. This was followed immediately by illumination of electrical warning lights, loss of power from both alternators, and an odor of smoke in the cabin. Both engines were shut down, fire bottles were discharged, and the crew and passenger exited the helicopter. Examination of the fuselage revealed a fire had been centered around the right lateral hydraulic servo. The number two hydraulic lower cylinder distribution module of the right lateral servo had melted, and the high pressure lines were found 'free' of the module. The helicopter's alternators, located aft of the main transmission, contained internal cooling fans that drew air through the alternators. The alternators and their respective wiring bundles were extensively damaged by fire. The ignition source of the fire was not determined. The fire detection system (with visual and aural signals) did not activate prior to the electrical warning lights.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.