ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 293024
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| Date: | Wednesday 21 September 2005 |
| Time: | 10:15 LT |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS350B3 |
| Owner/operator: | Southern California Edison |
| Registration: | N814CE |
| MSN: | 3847 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 320 hours |
| Engine model: | Turbomeca Arriel 2B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Running Springs, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Running Springs, CA |
| Running Springs, CA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter was performing external load operations in the vicinity of tall trees when the main rotor impacted a tree and the helicopter descended nose first into the ground. At the time of rotor impact with the trees, the Vehicle Engine Monitoring Display (VEMD) recorded a high torque measurement (146 percent) and a low engine drive speed measurement (184 rpm), followed by a low torque (5.7 percent) and a high engine speed (511 rpm) and temperature (999C). As a result of the main rotor impact with trees the engine's torque twisted apart the engine to transmission drive shaft causing an engine over speed and over temperature condition. The operator was utilizing a 78.8-foot-long line for the external load operations, which in some cases put the main rotor of the helicopter below the treetops of the 80- to 90-foot trees. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure of the control system or power plant.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from trees while performing long line external lift operations.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX05LA308
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Oct-2022 15:09 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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