SPANISH FORK, UT, USA
N5124X
HUGHES 369D
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF PLT FELT SHUTTER IN ACFT AND NOTICED A RISE IN THE TURBINE OUTLET TEMP. PLT HEARD LOW WHINE OF HIGH PITCH NOISE IN ENGINE. ENGINE CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT CAME ON FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT AND HORN AND OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. AUTOROTATION MADE TO OPENING AT BOTTOM OF CANYON. ON TOUCHDOWN ACFT SLID FORWARD IN 1 FT DEEP SNOW, RT SKID COLLAPSED AND HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. INSPECTION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OIL STARVATION IN TURBINE AND COMPRESSOR SECTIONS. TURBINE BEARINGS FAILED, GEARBOX BEARINGS BORE EVIDENCE OF HIGH HEAT DISTORTION AND OIL STARVATION WAS EVIDENT IN COMPRESSOR BEARINGS. LUBRICATION SYSTEM COMPONENTS WERE CHECKED AND OPERATED NORMALLY. A 1 1/8 IN DISK OF GASKET LIKE MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN OIL RESERVOIR. DISK WAS SIMILIAR TO THOSE IN CAPS ON QUARTS OF OIL. DISK WAS SAME SIZE AS OPENING TO OIL PUMP AND ENGINE. WHEN PLACED OVER OPENING OIL FLOW FROM TANK TO ENGINE WAS BLOCKED. EXTRA QTS OF OIL OFTEN WERE ON BOARD ACFT SO PLT COULD ASS OIL IF REQUIRED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
