ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 43283
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 18 April 1994 |
| Time: | 13:14 LT |
| Type: |  Hughes 369D |
| Owner/operator: | Pacific Aviation International |
| Registration: | N1103N |
| MSN: | 410945D |
| Year of manufacture: | 1981 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7151 hours |
| Engine model: | ALLISON 250-C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Hanapepe, Kauai, HI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | , HI (KPAK) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR A WATERFALL ON A SIGHT-SEEING FLIGHT, THE HUGHES 369D SUSTAINED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, DESCENDED, AND LANDED HARD ON ROUGH/ROCKY TERRAIN. AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE FUEL NOZZLE STRAINER WAS CONTAMINATED AND BLOCKED WITH SODIUM, AND IT WAS PARTIALLY COLLAPSED. TESTS OF THE NOZZLE REVEALED THAT FLOW RATES WERE BELOW THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY IN A MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND THE OPERATOR PERFORMED COMPRESSOR WASH PROCEDURES ON A DAILY BASIS. IN A SERVICE LETTER, THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER PRESCRIBED TURBINE ENGINE COMPRESSOR WASH PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN IMMERSION OF THE FUEL NOZZLE IN CONTAMINATED WASH WATER. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF SUBSEQUENT INFILTRATION OF WASH WATER INTO THE FUEL NOZZLE STRAINER. THE FUEL NOZZLE STRAINER HAD A LIFE LIMIT OF 2500 HOURS, BUT ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, IT WAS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY PRIOR ROUTINE INSPECTION REQUIREMENT.
Probable Cause: INADEQUATE TURBINE ENGINE COMPRESSOR CLEANING PROCEDURES BASED ON INFORMATION IN THE MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE LETTER, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO BLOCKAGE OF THE FUEL NOZZLE STRAINER WITH FOREIGN MATERIAL (SODIUM). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF A SPECIFIED SERVICE REQUIRMENT FOR INSPECTION OF THE FUEL STRAINER, AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX94FA197
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 09-Jun-2023 09:33 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]] |
| 10-Apr-2024 07:56 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Cn, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation