ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 343104
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| Date: | Tuesday 5 June 1990 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Bell 212 |
| Owner/operator: | Canadian Helicopters |
| Registration: | C-FTCQ |
| MSN: | 30576 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1973 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Grand Prairie -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | External load operation |
| Departure airport: | |
The helicopter was being used to support seismic work and was using a 100ft. long-line to transport a 2,400 lb seismic drill to a new location. After hook-up, the pilot climbed vertically to lift the drill above the tall trees which bordered the drill site. Witnesses reported that, as the drill reached a height of 20 to 40ft agl., they heard a bang and saw a puff of blue-grey smoke emitted from the rear of the helicopter. The helicopter turned to the right, pitched nose down, and struck the ground in a vertical, nose down attitude. It was subsequently determined that the helicopter lost tail rotor authority and became uncontrollable when the transmission tail rotor drive coupling failed because of a lack of lubrication. The coupling was apparently considered to be part of the transmission assembly by the company. The maintenance personnel who disassembled and cleaned the coupling believed that the coupling would be repacked, as was standard practice when transmissions were overhauled. However, since only the transmission web had been repaired and 600 hour inspection completed, the coupling was not lubricated. Inadequate maintenance practices and a lack of communication between the company's component repair shop and the main maintenance facility allowed the helicopter to be returned to service with the transmission tail rotor drive output coupling without lubricant. Detection of the impending coupling failure may have been impaired because the zinc chromate thermal indicator colour change was indistinct and, because the coupling was located in an area that made inspection difficult.
Sources:
WAAS
Revision history:
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