Serious incident Aérospatiale AS 350D Astar N143EH, Thursday 20 July 1989

You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.

Date:	Thursday 20 July 1989
Time:	12:23 LT
Type:	Aérospatiale AS 350D Astar
Owner/operator:	Island Express Helicopters
Registration:	N143EH
MSN:	1450
Engine model:	Lycoming LTS-101-600A2
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Long Beach, CA - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Avalon, CA
Destination airport:	Long Beach, CA
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT WAS ABOUT 15 MINUTES INTO HIS OVER WATER FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. THE FLOATS WERE DEPLOYED AND A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION WAS MADE IN THE OCEAN. THE DRIVE SPLINES ON THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF EXCESSIVE ASYMMETRICAL WEAR AND THE ENGINE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR THAT DROVE THE FUEL PUMP SPLINES WAS EXCESSIVELY WORN. THE EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE GEAR AND SPLINE PERMITTED SLIPPAGE IN THE FUEL PUMP DRIVE SYSTEM.

Probable Cause: THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP.

Accident investigation: