Incident Hughes 269C VH-SIH,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 219024
 
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Date:Wednesday 17 August 1988
Time:11:59
Type:Silhouette image of generic H269 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Hughes 269C
Owner/operator:
Registration: VH-SIH
MSN: 1290006
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Location:Alice Springs, NT -   Australia
Phase: Standing
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:Alice Springs, NT
Destination airport:Alice Springs, NT
Investigating agency: BASI
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot was cooling the engine down at 2500 RPM after completing a circuit and normal landing. Suddenly, a hard, high frequency bounce developed and the helicopter bounced left skid low followed by a 45 degree yaw to the left. The pilot had tightened the control frictions after landing and he attempted to release these as he fought for control of the helicopter. He was unable to release the control frictions and the cyclic control grip was broken during his attempts to restrain the movement of this control. The engine stopped without input from the pilot and the aircraft came to rest. The period of ground resonance had been about 5 seconds. During the preflight inspection the pilot had noticed that the front left landing gear was slightly under-inflated, although he considered it to be within normal limits. However, the correct landing gear damper inflation is critical in the prevention of ground resonance in this type of helicopter and the Pilot's Flight Manual contains a caution to this effect. Incorrect or unequal landing gear damper pressure can markedly alter the resonance response of the undercarriage system of the helicopter. If a rotor head vibration is induced, for whatever reason, and it is in sympathy with the resonance response of the undercarriage system, then ground resonance will occur. The cause of the rotor vibration that initiated this occurrence of ground resonance could not be established.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: BASI
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1988/aair/aair198800728/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/30329/aair198800728.pdf

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Dec-2018 12:58 Pineapple Added

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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