FORT DIX, NJ, USA
N63WW
SIKORSKY S-76A
THE AIRCREW OF THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED MCGUIRE RAPCON & OBTAINED CLEARANCE TO PROCEED THRU THE MCGUIRE AFB CONTROL ZONE AT 1500 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' & OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY LOSE ALT. THE HELICOPTER RECOVERED FROM THE DESCENT & BEGAN A TURN TOWARD RWY 6/24 AT MCGUIRE AFB, THEN IT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT & CRASHED INTO WOODED TERRAIN ON FT DIX. TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE DAMAGED AT AN 80 DEG ANGLE FROM THE HORIZON. FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE ENGS WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH HALNON 1211 & AFFF AGENTS. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE OF A LEFT ENG FAILURE. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT FRAGMENTS FROM THE LEFT ENG TURBINE HAD IMPACTED THE RGT ENG WHILE IT (THE RGT ENG) WAS PRODUCING POWER. ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLES & THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WERE SEVERED IN THE AREA OF THE RGT ENG. A METALURGICAL CHECK REVEALED INDICATIONS OF HI CYCLIC FATIGUE OF THE 2ND STAGE GAS PRODUCER TURBINE WHEEL IN THE CURVIC COUPLING & LABYRINTH SEAL AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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