ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 202068
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| Date: | Wednesday 10 March 1999 |
| Time: | 10:10 LT |
| Type: |  Schweizer 269C |
| Owner/operator: | Smith Helicopters, Inc. |
| Registration: | N36254 |
| MSN: | S1186 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3367 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming HIO-360-DIA |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Laredo, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | (NONE) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter was at a 50-foot hover over a creek when the pilot heard a loud banging, followed by a loss of engine power. The pilot executed a right pedal turn and set the helicopter down hard in a creek. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was separated at the number 3 main bearing journal to number 3 connecting rod journal crossover cheek. A magnaflux examination of the crankshaft revealed that the number 3 main bearing journal displayed lateral cracks. Examination of the crankshaft fracture surfaces revealed that the crankshaft had failed in fatigue. The fracture features were damaged near the origin area; however, 'nearby crack arrest positions clearly indicated crack initiation from at least two locations on the journal surface near the crank cheek.' Examination of the number 3 bearing shell halves revealed that 'one shell had shifted relative to the other when the damage occurred.'
Probable Cause: The loss of engine power due to a bearing shift, which resulted in fatigue cracking of the crankshaft and subsequent failure of the crankshaft. A factor was a lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW99LA092
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Nov-2017 10:55 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 08-Apr-2024 08:53 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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