Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina 27526
Saturday, December 7, 1991 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NEWS HELICOPTER WAS RETURNING FROM A REPORTING ASSIGNMENT AT NIGHT IN VMC CONDITIONS. THE SOLE SURVIVOR, A SPORTSCASTER, REPORTED THAT ABOUT 20 TO 25 MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH, THE ENGINE CHIP LIGHT CAME ON. THE LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS RESET BY THE PILOT 5 TO 10 TIMES. THERE WAS ALSO A LOSS OF TORQUE ON THE TORQUE GAUGE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE LOST POWER & THE HELICOPTER CRASH LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE #2 BEARING HAD SEIZED, RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE COMPRESSOR SHAFT. THE #2 BEARING HAD BEEN REPLACED DURING RECENT ENGINE MAINTENANCE, AND THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 125 HOURS ON THE NEW BEARING. THE OIL JET TO THE BEARING WAS NOT BLOCKED OR CLOGGED. THERE WERE TORQUE FLUCTUATIONS OBSERVED ON TWO OCCASIONS DURING THE WEEK BEFORE TO THE ACCIDENT. SEVERAL COMPONENTS WERE CHANGED IN AN ATTEMPT TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. THE SURVIVOR'S SEAT BELT FAILED IN THE CRASH DUE TO AN IMPROPER INSTALLATION, AND HE WAS THROWN CLEAR OF THE WRECKAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION IN CONTINUING THE FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEM, AND THE SUBSEQUENT SEIZURE OF THE NUMBER TWO ENGINE BEARING, RESULTING IN ENGINE STOPPAGE. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 15
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FUQUAY-VARINA
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27526
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 2350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 437
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1954
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45889
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26FH
NTSB Number ATL92FA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS350D ASTAR
Aircraft Series Identifier AS350D AST
Aircraft Serial Number 1331
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 13 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 2716
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EQUIPMENT LEASORS OF PA, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 309
Aircraft Owner City COOPERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18036
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EQUIPMENT LEASORS OF PA, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 309
Operator City COOPERSBURG
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 18036
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City WILMINGTON
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 2330
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City DURHAM
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 No
Medical Flight --