ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38412
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| Date: | Tuesday 10 October 1989 |
| Time: | 13:29 |
| Type: |  Agusta A109A Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | Paramount Aviation |
| Registration: | N21FL |
| MSN: | 7309 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 911 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lacey Township , NJ -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | New York City, NY (6N4) |
| Atlantic City, NJ (ACY) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
AS THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLT AT AN ALT OF 2200' MSL, A PORTION OF ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED. THE SUBSEQUENT IMBALANCE RESULTED IN SEPARATION OF THE TRANSMISSION & MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER THEN CRASHED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. A METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE SEPARATED BLADE REVEALED THAT IT HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. THE FRACTURE HAD INITIATED AT A MANUFACTURING INDUCED SCRATCH IN THE SPAR OF THE BLADE. THE SCRATCH WAS ON THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SPAR AT BLADE STATION 2825 (IN MILLIMETERS), NEAR THE LEAD BALANCE WT. IT WAS IN LINE WITH THE EDGE OF THE ADHESIVE FILET. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE CRACK ORIGINATED WHERE A SHARP TOOL WAS USED TO TRIM THE EDGE OF THE ADHESIVE FILET. THE BLADE FRACTURED AFTER 922 HRS OF OPERATION. CAUSE: IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF A MAIN ROTOR BLADE DUE TO FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SPAR, WHICH ORIGINATED AT A MANUFACTURING INDUCED SCRATCH (TOOL MARK) THAT WAS THE RESULT OF INADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL.
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X29709
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/05/21/NTSB-blames-manufacturer-for-1989-Trump-helicopter-crash/6833706420800/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 27-Jan-2010 09:53 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Aircraft type, Other fatalities] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 12-Sep-2019 20:05 | Masen63 | Updated [Source] |
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