Accident Aérospatiale AS 350B N350AP,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 132627
 
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Date:Sunday 1 April 1990
Time:13:55
Type:Silhouette image of generic AS50 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Aérospatiale AS 350B
Owner/operator:Macaw Helicopters
Registration: N350AP
MSN: 1252
Year of manufacture:1980
Total airframe hrs:1955 hours
Engine model:TURBOMECA ARRIEL
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Philippine Sea, off Saipan Island -   Northern Mariana Islands
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Koblerville, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Destination airport:Anatahan Island, Northern Mariana Islands
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT AND PAX WERE CRUISING OVER THE PHILIPPINE SEA WHEN THE PILOT FELT AN EXTREME VIBRATION. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE 7-FT SEA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO THE HELICOPTER OVERTURNING HE OBSERVED THAT 'ONE OF THE ELASTOMERIC SPHERICAL THRUST BEARINGS WAS COMPLETELY GONE.' THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY OVERTURNED, SANK AND HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED. THE ACFT'S ROTOR SYSTEM HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN A SUDDEN STOPPAGE MISHAP AND HAD THEREAFTER BEEN REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE BY OTHER THAN THE CURRENT COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF A ROTOR SYSTEM COMPONENT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Sources:

1. https://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001212X22940&key=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=350AP
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=11552

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
28 July 1987 N350AP Jones,jones & Welch 0 Nantucket, MA sub

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Jun-2014 17:36 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Location, Country, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
21-Dec-2016 19:25 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
06-Jun-2022 06:38 Ron Averes Updated [Location]

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