Fokker F27MK 600 N730FE

Summary

On 17 April 2003 at about 22:30 local time, a Fokker F27MK 600 registered N730FE, operated by Empire Airlines Inc, was involved in an accident near Port Townsend, Washington, United States. 2 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

17 April 2003 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Townsend, Washington, United States

Coordinates

48.1539, -122.9303

Aircraft

Fokker F27MK 600

Registration

N730FE

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Empire Airlines Inc

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ketchikan → Seattle

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA03LA076

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the accessory drive shaft due to deterioration of bearing number 1 in the aft fork of the universal joint for undetermined reasons during cruise flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After initiating their descent the crew heard a "thunk" sound from the left side of the aircraft, followed by the gearbox LOW OIL PRESSURE warning light illuminating. After consulting the Quick Reference Handbook, the left engine was shut down, the crew declared an emergency, and a single-engine landing was made at the destination airport without incident. Subsequent examination by maintenance personnel revealed that the #1 engine drive shaft had failed at the universal joint connection area on the gear side of the engine, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. The left engine's accessory drive shaft assembly, including the forward and aft universal joints, were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory Division, Washington, D.C., for examination. The examination revealed that the accessory drive shaft failed due to deterioration of bearing number 1 in the aft fork of the joint. This failure led to frictional heating for some time and off-axis rotation that eventually allowed the spider journal to slip out of the bearing cup at bearing number 3, leading to the rapid separation of the joint. The cause for the number 1 bearing failure is unknown.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.