Accident Bell 222U N3180K, Friday 31 May 1985

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Date:	Friday 31 May 1985
Time:	08:25 LT
Type:	Bell 222U
Owner/operator:	Aircraft Management Service
Registration:	N3180K
MSN:	47516
Total airframe hrs:	613 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming LTS101-750C-1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Milford, VA - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Executive
Departure airport:	Richmond, VA (KRIC)
Destination airport:	Quantico, VA
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE HELO WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE FLT AT 1500 FT AND 115 KTS WHEN THE NO. 2 ENG CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ACCOMPANIED BY LOWERING OIL PRESSURE. THE PLT REDUCED PWR AND STARTED A RT TURN TO RETURN TO BASE WHEN HALF WAY THRU THE TURN A LOUD BANG OCCURRED FOLLOWED BY COMPLETE POWER LOSS OF BOTH ENGINES AND ENG CMPT FIRE. A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION ENSUED, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH THE ACFT SYSTEM AFTER LNDG. LATER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 3 BEARING HAD FAILED. ULTIMATELY RELEASING THE PWR TURBINE ASSY FROM THE ENG. THE TURBINE DISC WELDED TO THE TAILPIPE CENTER BODY, FAILING THE DISC. FRAGMENTS STRUCK THE NO. 1 ENGINE WHICH RESULTED IN ITS UNCOMMANDED SHUT DOWN. BOTH ENGINES HAD A LENGTHY HISTORY OF CHIP ALARMS. LYCOMING HAD RECENTLY APPROVED A 100 HR. EXTENSION TO THE RECOMMENDED HOT SECTION INTERVAL AFTER A REVIEW OF MAINT. RECORDS. THREE SCAVENGE CHIP ALARMS OCCURRED DRG THE 50 HRS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: