Accident Bell 222UT N222DU, Monday 21 July 1986

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Date:	Monday 21 July 1986
Time:	13:33 LT
Type:	Bell 222UT
Owner/operator:	Pumpkin Air, Inc.
Registration:	N222DU
MSN:	47530
Total airframe hrs:	1882 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming LTS101-750C-1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Chapel Hill, NC - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Lumberton, NC
Destination airport:	Durham, NC
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
DRG AN EMERG MED SVC (EMS)/MED EVAC FLT, AN UNCONTAINED PWR TURBINE BURST OF THE #1 ENG OCCURRED. DEBRIS FM THE #1 ENG DISABLED THE #2 ENG & SEVERED THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. THE #2 ENG FIRE LGT ILLUMINATED & THE PLT DISCHARGED THE #2 ENG FIRE EXTINGUISHER. DRG AN AUTOROTATIVE LNDG, THE PLT INCREASED COLLECTIVE TO CLR TREES, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS SIDE AT TOUCHDOWN. THE PLT, 1 NURSE & THE PATIENT WERE UNHARMED, BUT 2 NURSES RCVD MINOR INJURIES. AN EXAM SHOWEDTHE #2 & #3 BRGS IN THE #1 ENG HAD OVERHEATED & FAILED DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. OIL PASSAGES & JETS TO THE BRGS WERE FND CLOGGED WITH HVY CARBON DEPOSITS. THE ENG COMBUSTOR HOUSING WAS CHNGD APRX 13 FLT HRS BFR THE ACDNT DUE TO A CLOGGEDVENT STRUT; AFTER DRAINING OIL, THE OIL SYS WASN'T FLUSHED, BUT FLUSHING WASN'T REQD. EVIDENCE SHOWED LYC LTS 101-750C-1ENGS WERE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CARBON CLOGGING; THAT THE #2 SEALS TENDED TO ERODE & ALLOW EXCESSIVE HOT GASES INTO THE #2 & #3BRGS. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE FAA ISSUED AD 86-22-05, REQUIRING INCREASED INSPN & MAINT PROCEDURES TO PREVENT RECURRENCE.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: