Incident Robinson R22 BETA VH-HVB,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 209505
 
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Date:Thursday 7 March 1996
Time:11:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic R22 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Robinson R22 BETA
Owner/operator:
Registration: VH-HVB
MSN: 0564
Year of manufacture:1986
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Location:Wando Vale Station, QLD -   Australia
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Agricultural
Departure airport:Wando Vale Station, QLD
Destination airport:Wando Vale Station, QLD
Investigating agency: BASI
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot reported that the helicopter was being used to muster cattle. While manoeuvering at about 30 ft AGL and a speed of 10 knots the pilot said he heard a loud bang. He was able to conducted an immediate autorotative landing. Post flight inspection found that the main rotor drive shaft flex plate had separated at the gearbox end. The flailing end had then cut into the fuel tank, as well as causing other damage in the area. Specialist examination concluded that the flexplate failure was caused by fatigue crack growth. The fatigue crack initiated at a region of intergranular corrosion at the edge of the plate. The pilot reported that the failure occurred some 40.8 hours after the previous 100 hourly inspection. Because of the type of flexplate in use, a dye penetrant inspection had been conducted on the flexplate during that previous inspection. This was required by an Airworthiness Directive, which subjected all such flexplates to a special inspection every 100 hours until they were replaced by a new version of flexplate. A similar directive issued by the United States FAA required an inspection every 50 hours.

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/1996/aair/199600796/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/4931654/199600796.pdf

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
18-Apr-2018 10:37 Pineapple Added

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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