Iliamna Bay Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Williamsport, Alaska
Saturday, April 21, 1990 13:10 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND A SUBSEQUENT HARD AUTOROTATION LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED A FRACTURED PC TUBE FROM THE COMPRESSOR TO THE PC FILTER. FAILURE OF THIS TUBE WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER BELOW IDLE OR FLAME OUT. AN NTSB METALLURGIST WHO EXAMINED THE TUBE BELIEVES THAT THE TUBE FRACTURED DUE TO FRETTING AND FATIGUE, MOST LIKELY PRECIPITATED BY MISALIGNMENT OF THE PC TUBE DURING FIELD MAINTENANCE. ALLISON, THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER, HAS RECENTLY REDESIGNED THE TUBE WITH A THICKER WALL AND A DIFFERENT SHAPE TO FACILITATE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES IN THE FIELD, AND TO MAKE THE TUBE MORE RESISTANT TO FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE MANUFACTURER'S INADEQUATE PART DESIGN AND THE IMPROPER MAINTENANCE TECHNIQUES BY THE OPERATOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone --
Event City WILLIAMSPORT
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ILIAMNA BAY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 100
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 115
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 5
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 480
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 131
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41414
Date of most recent change to record Mar 17 2006 2:53PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1075G
NTSB Number ANC90LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B3
Aircraft Serial Number 2958
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 14 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARITIME HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3520 FAA ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HOMER
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99603
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HOM
Departure City HOMER
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1049
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HOM
Destination City HOMER
Destination State AK
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 --