Fairbanks Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairbanks, Alaska 99702
Tuesady, August 25, 1992 9:43 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STATE OF ALASKA HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A FUEL LEAK AND AN UNEVENTFUL PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE LEAKING FUEL LINE WAS REPLACED IN FIELD MAINTENANCE WITHOUT MANUFACTURER'S REQUIRED SECURING CLAMPS. A SECOND FUEL LEAK, PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT WAS EFFECTED, AGAIN WITHOUT CLAMPS. A THIRD FUEL LEAK AT THE SAME REPLACEMENT LINE WAS FOLLOWED BY A FIRE FOLLOWING A PRECUATIONARY LANDING. THE NTSB SUPERVISED MANUFACTURER'S ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED VIBRATION IN ROTATING COMPONENTS OF 15 TIMES THE ALLOWED LIMITS, AS WELL AS A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE HOT SECTION. THESE VIBRATIONS AND CRACKS WERE NOT DISCOVERED DURING ENGINE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTIONS BY COMPANY CONTRACT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. THE METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL LINES IN EACH EVENT REVEALED FATIGUE PROPAGATION AND THE LACK OF CLAMP MARKS ON THE FUEL LINES FROM EVENTS 2 AND 3.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION PROCEDURES BY THE CONTRACT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND INSTALLATION OF THE FUEL LINE BY THE CONTRACT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TURBOSHAFT ENGINE VIBRATIONS AND THE CRACKED FUEL LINE(S).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 943
Event Time Zone --
Event City FAIRBANKS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99702
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FAIRBANKS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FAI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 120
Airport Elevation 431
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 943 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID FAI
Elevation of weather observation facility 438
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 400
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1002
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52291
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83139
NTSB Number ANC92GA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Public Use
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 1018
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 11658
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STATE OF ALASKA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1979 PEGER RD
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99709
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALASKA PUBLIC SAFETY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4353 AIRCRAFT DRIVE
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99502
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FAI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 932
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TKJ
Destination City TOK
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
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 No
Medical Flight --