ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 133505
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| Date: | Thursday 17 July 1997 |
| Time: | 23:30 LT |
| Type: |  Schweizer 269C (300C) |
| Owner/operator: | Baltimore Police Department |
| Registration: | N6129Q |
| MSN: | S1629 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3471 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming HIO-360-D1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Baltimore, MD -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | , MD (KMTN) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The police pilot was flying the helicopter in a right-hand orbit approximately 500 feet. The pilot heard a loud 'clunk' and experienced an immediate loss of engine power. He entered an autorotation over an urban area, and the helicopter struck a tree and collided with terrain during the descent. Examination of the wreckage revealed the #4 connecting rod protruding from the engine case. The connecting rod bolts were stretched beyond the manufacturer's limits, and valve tappets with incorrect part numbers were installed. The engine records revealed the engine had been overhauled by T.W.Smith Engine Company Inc. approximately 500 flight hours prior to the accident flight. The overhaul records reflected maintenance and inspections performed on components not installed on the accident engine and on parts designated to be discarded and replaced. Examination of the fractured #4 connecting rod revealed '...crack arrest positions and ratchet marks, indicative of fatigue crack progression...' and galling spots on the fatigue origin areas.
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power which was a result of incomplete and improper engine overhaul by company maintenance personnel. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable forced landing area terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC97GA148
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 18 December 1992 | N6129Q | Schweizer Aircraft Corp | 0 | Elmira, NY | |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 31-May-2023 05:21 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]] |
| 08-Apr-2024 14:12 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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