Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Bragg, North Carolina 28307
Monday, June 15, 1992 13:02 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIR AMBULANCE HELICOPTER WAS ENROUTE TO PICK UP A PATIENT WHEN THE PILOT OBSERVED THE ENGINE FIRE LIGHT ILLUMINATE, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE ENTERING THE CABIN AREA. THE FLIGHT CREW EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT THE NEARBY SIMMONS ARMY AIRFIELD AT FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE OIL SUPPLY LINE FOR THE BEARING WAS BLOCKED WITH CARBON AND THE REAR BEARING IN THE NUMBER THREE MODULE HAD FAILED. THE ENGINE START FUEL VALVE BEGAN LEAKING FUEL AS A RESULT OF LOSS OF TORQUE ON CONNECTING BOLTS DUE TO ENGINE VIBRATION. THE START FUEL VALVE WAS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE ENGINE STARTER/GENERATOR. THERE HAD BEEN AN EXTENSIVE FIRE IN THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ORIGINATING IN THE AREA OF THE STARTER/GENERATOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE TOTAL BLOCKAGE OF THE OIL SUPPLY LINE FOR THE REAR MAIN BEARING IN ENGINE MODULE THREE WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAILURE OF THE BEARING, AND THE SUBSEQUENT LEAK FROM THE ENGINE START DRAIN VALVE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/15/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1302
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FORT BRAGG
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28307
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1246 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID FAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 190
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 904
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50067
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N365DU
NTSB Number ATL92FA126
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS-355-F
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-355-F
Aircraft Serial Number 6102
Certified Max Gross Weight 8818
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection May 11 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 94
Airframe Hours 4638
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STATE STREET BANK & TRUST CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 225 FRANKLIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City BOSTON
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02101
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OMNIFLIGHT HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4650 AIRPORT PARKWAY
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75248
Operator Code CZYA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ND92
Departure City DURHAM
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1233
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City LUMBERTON
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight --