Aerospatiale AS-350BA N57958

Summary

On 25 July 2005 at about 20:06 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350BA registered N57958 was involved in an accident near Juneau, Alaska, United States. 7 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

25 July 2005 at 20:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Juneau, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Juneau International (PAJN)

Coordinates

58.3550, -134.5764

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-350BA

Registration

N57958

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Juneau → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC05LA107

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power during takeoff initial climb due to the separation of the engine power turbine shaft, the failure of which was due to a disconnected adjacent leaf spring, which resulted in an emergency landing after takeoff and subsequent hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was departing on a local area sightseeing flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, in a skid-equipped helicopter. During the initial climb, the engine lost power about 75 feet above the ground. The pilot entered an autorotation and attempted to cushion the landing, but the helicopter landed hard, collapsing the landing gear, and wrinkling the tail boom. A post-touchdown fire was burning in the engine compartment as the occupants exited the helicopter. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a retaining leaf spring, normally installed within engine Module 1 to hold several oil tubes in place, became unclipped. The legs of the spring made contact with the adjacent rotating engine power shaft. The shaft was severed, which resulted in an overspeed and failure of the free turbine. The engine had accrued 737.9 hours since Modules 2 and 3 were repaired in 2003, and Module 1 underwent a visual inspection. No maintenance had been done on Module 1 since the 2003 inspection.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.