ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 30823
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| Date: | Thursday 3 December 1998 |
| Time: | 19:42 LT |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC 135P1 |
| Owner/operator: | Aerial Films Inc. |
| Registration: | N44NY |
| MSN: | 0019 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1997 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 714 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W 206 B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Newark, NJ -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | North Bergen, NJ |
| Caldwell, NJ (KCDW) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot flew the helicopter below and behind the flight path of an airliner, and encountered wake turbulence. He inadvertently rolled the throttles to manual, and never restabilized the engines or main rotor rpm. In addition, he did not understand the reset procedures for the engine controls (FADEC), and never returned the engines to FADEC control. After about 2 minutes of flight with several power changes, and a climb of 700 feet, rotor RPM had decreased to 73%. The pilot declared an emergency, reported a double power loss, and ditched the helicopter in a river. A video of the last several seconds of the flight revealed periodic bursts of flames, and bright objects emitted from the rear of the helicopter before it contacted the water. Although the left engine had been overtempted, and experienced turbine failure, the right engine was capable of producing power at water impact. A failed hydraulic line was found in-line with a failed coupling on the tail rotor drive shaft, in an area where a fire had burned. The mfg reported the tail rotor drive shaft could become unstable above 168% Nr, or lower if the mounts were loose or rubber grommets deteriorated. A sound analysis recorded the main rotor momentarily at 125% Nr during the autorotation. A fault code from the right engine FADEC indicated the power turbine had reached 127% Nr. The hanger bearings for the long tail rotor drive shaft had not been retorqued as required after being replaced. Non-mechanic rated pilots had signed off 100-hour inspections, and required inspections from airworthiness directives.
Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to maintain proper rotor rpm and his improper in flight decision to enter autorotation due to his lack of knowledge of the power plant controls. Factors in the accident were the night conditions and the pilot's improper decision to fly through wake turbulence.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC99FA032
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 19-Aug-2010 00:07 | TB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 05-Mar-2013 07:25 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 07-May-2016 10:34 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Sep-2023 09:08 | gipsymagpie | Updated [[Time, Aircraft type, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]] |
| 04-Apr-2024 12:42 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
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