Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oxford, Mississippi 38655
Monday, April 20, 1987 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AFTER HEARING A LOUD BANG AND EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE POWER TURBINE WHEEL BLADES HAD FAILED, AND THE WHEEL PARTS LOGJAMMED AND PENETRATED THE ENGINE CASE. THE BLADE FRACTURES WERE HIGH CYCLE TRANSGRANULAR FAILURES EMINATING FROM THE TRAILING EDGE OF EACH BLADE ROOT. A REVIEW OF FAA SDR RECORDS REVEALED 87 SIMILAR FAILURES. SIX EMERGENCY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/20/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OXFORD
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38655
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1319 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 335
Weather Observation Facility ID MEM
Elevation of weather observation facility 500
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5017
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 22 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33741
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N222HX
NTSB Number MIA87IA141
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 222U
Aircraft Series Identifier 222U
Aircraft Serial Number 47533
Certified Max Gross Weight 6400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 23 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 97
Airframe Hours 842
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MEMPHIS MEDICAL CENTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 20 SOUTH DUDLEY
Aircraft Owner City MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38146
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MEMPHIS MEDICAL CENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 20 SOUTH DUDLEY
Operator City MEMPHIS
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38146
Operator Code
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MEM
Departure City MEMPHIS
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City OXFORD
Destination State MS
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --