Eurocopter AS350BA N3607P

Summary

On 10 January 2006 at about 18:45 local time, a Eurocopter AS350BA registered N3607P was involved in an accident near Hana, Hawaii, United States. 5 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 January 2006 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Hana, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Kahului (KOGG)

Coordinates

20.6833, -156.1000

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS350BA

Registration

N3607P

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kahului → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX06LA072

1 person was seriously injured.

The total loss of engine power due to a fatigue failure of a turbine blade. A factor in the accident was the lack of a suitable forced landing site.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While flying a sightseeing tour over a dense tropical forest the helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power and autorotated into the forest canopy. Forty-four minutes into a 1-hour sightseeing tour the helicopter vibrated, shuddered, and the low rotor rpm warning horn sounded. The pilot entered an autorotation and tried to arrest the helicopter's forward velocity before settling into the treetops. The helicopter dropped nose first towards the forest floor, and came to rest on its right side suspended in the trees a few feet from the ground. During the subsequent engine examination it was determined that a turbine blade from the second stage gas producer turbine had separated from the turbine wheel. A material laboratory analysis determined that the turbine blade failure was a result of a fatigue fracture that was initiated at a corrosion/oxidation pit. As a result of the investigation into the engine failure, the engine manufacturer has reduced the life limit of the second stage turbine blades from 6,000 hours to 3,000 hours, and implemented additional turbine inspection criteria.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.