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Date: | Wednesday 25 August 2021 |
Time: | 16:18 LT |
Type: | Enstrom 280FX Shark |
Owner/operator: | Private |
Registration: | G-OJBB |
MSN: | 2084 |
Year of manufacture: | 1999 |
Engine model: | Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | Rhobell Fawr, near Llanfachraeth, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | En route |
Nature: | Private |
Departure airport: | Chester/Hawarden Airport (CEG/EGNR) |
Destination airport: | Chester/Hawarden Airport (CEG/EGNR) |
Investigating agency: | AAIB |
Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:An Enstrom 280FX Shark crash landed at the summit of Rhobell Fawr, near Llanfachraeth, after suffering mechanical failure.
During a flight from Hawarden Airport, the pilot noticed a stone obelisk when approaching Rhobell Mountain and decided to take a closer look. Having flown past at 20 metres, he brought the helicopter into a hover. However, the helicopter suffered a loss of thrust from the tail rotor while hovering close to the ground near a mountain top, resulting in a loss of control and a hard landing. The pilot vacated the cockpit and suffered minor injuries.
The investigation found that the tail rotor gearbox revealed damage to the bevel gears and failure of a bearing, which was consistent with inadequate cooling and a lack of lubrication. In addition, there were inconsistencies in the way maintenance was performed on the tail rotor gearbox, compared to the helicopter manufacturer’s maintenance instructions. It is likely that insufficient oil was added to the tail rotor gearbox when it was serviced 25 flying hours prior to the accident.
As a result of the AAIB’s findings, three Safety Recommendations have been made relating to information in the helicopter Maintenance Manual regarding the required oil quantity and maintenance servicing interval for the tail rotor gearbox.
=Safety Recommendations=
*Safety Recommendation: 2023-001:
It is recommended that Enstrom Helicopter Corporation amends the wording in Section 4-15 of the Enstrom F28F and 280F series Maintenance Manual, to clearly identify the minimum and maximum oil levels required for tail rotor gearbox operation.
*Safety Recommendation: 2023-002
It is recommended that Enstrom Helicopter Corporation amends the Enstrom F28F and 280F series Maintenance Manual to achieve a consistent reference to the required quantity of oil for the tail rotor gearbox.
*Safety Recommendation: 2023-003
It is recommended that Enstrom Helicopter Corporation amends the 100 hr/Annual checklist and other related sections of the Enstrom F28F and 280F seriesMaintenance Manual to clearly reflect the intended periodicity for changing the tail rotor transmission oil.
=Damage to airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report "airframe damaged beyond economic repair"
Accident investigation:
|
| |
Investigating agency: | AAIB |
Report number: | AAIB-27608 |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | |
Download report: | Final report |
|
Sources:
1. South Snowdonia Search & Rescue Team facebook page 25 August 2021
2. AAIB Final Report:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63a1bd6ce90e0758710c2711/Enstrom_280FX_G-OJBB_02-23.pdf 3.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/helicopter-pilots-lucky-escape-after-21487281 4.
https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/19560346.helicopter-crash-lands-snowdonia/ 5.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/aaib-current-field-investigations/air-accidents-investigation-branch-current-field-investigations 6.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/enstrom-280fx-g-ojbb-anniversary-statement 7.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhobell_Fawr Media:
Enstrom 280FX Shark G-OJBB at Gloucestershire Airport 28 July 2016, 11:05 LT:
Enstrom 280FX Shark G-OJBB at Sleap, Shropshire 1June 2021
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
05-Sep-2021 06:56 |
edk94 |
Added |
05-Sep-2021 15:44 |
gerard57 |
Updated [Operator, Nature, Source] |
05-Sep-2021 16:14 |
RobertMB |
Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
06-Sep-2021 13:35 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category] |
06-Sep-2021 13:40 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Departure airport, Embed code] |
06-Sep-2021 13:49 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
13-Mar-2022 17:31 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Embed code] |
02-Oct-2022 20:56 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source, Narrative] |
23-Jun-2023 19:10 |
harro |
Updated [[Source, Narrative]] |