Incident Aérospatiale AS 355F1 VH-NJL,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 206573
 
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Date:Wednesday 1 May 1991
Time:16:20
Type:Silhouette image of generic AS55 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Aérospatiale AS 355F1
Owner/operator:
Registration: VH-NJL
MSN: 5039
Year of manufacture:1981
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Location:10km N of Busselton, WA -   Australia
Phase: En route
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:Augusta, WA
Destination airport:Bunbury, WA
Investigating agency: BASI
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The aircraft was engaged in a medical evacuation flight carrying an injured crewman from a ship located west of Augusta. During the turn around at Augusta the pilot noticed that one corner of the polyurethane covering on one tail rotor blade was lifting. After consulting the company engineer in Perth the pilot cut the loose material from the blade and continued with the flight to Perth. Slight vibration was felt after approximately 30 minutes and 15 seconds later the vibration became severe. The pilot carried out a precautionary landing. An inspection of the tail rotor blades indicated that a significant amount of the polyurethane covering on the blade not modified by the pilot had been lost. The blade's polyurethane covering had been replaced approximately 4 hours before the occurrence. The bonding process used, although in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, was defective. The manufacturer had developed a new process prior to the occurrence, however, details of this had not reached the Sydney based overhaul facility at the time the cover was replaced.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: BASI
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1991/aair/aair199100125/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/27628/aair199100125.pdf

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
4 October 1990 VH-NJL 0 4km S of Guilderton, WA sub
8 May 1992 VH-NJL Western Australia Police 0 Kelmscott, WA w/o
Law Enforcement

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
23-Feb-2018 09:31 Pineapple Added

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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