Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arroyo Grande, California 93420
Thursday, August 1, 1985 10:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE HOVERING AND SLINGING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OVER ROUGH TERRAIN THE ENG CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PLT IMMEDIATELY POSITIONED THE ACFT TO RELEASE THE LOAD AND THE ENG BEGAN MAKING A 'WHINING' NOISE. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER ALL ENG POWER WAS LOST. THE PLT AUTOROTATED TO A FIRM LANDING AND UPON TOUCHDOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. EXAM OF THE ENG'S TURBINE COMPONENTS REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF A 'SLUDGE' MATERIAL IN THE SCAVENGE OIL LINE FROM THE NO. 8 BEARING AND ALSO THE PRESENCE OF A HEAVY BUILD UP OF CARBON ON THE ENGINE ROTOR 'PEASHOOTER' DRIVE SHAFT. THE ACCUMULATED MATERIAL CAUSED SHAFT RUB AND FAILURE OF THE POWER TURBINE'S INNER SHAFT. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT AN EARLY INSPECTION OF THE N1/N2 DRIVE SHAFT AREA COULD HAVE DETECTED THE PROBLEM AND PREVENTED THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ARROYO GRANDE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93420
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2592
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30092
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90328
NTSB Number LAX85LA336
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206 B3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206 B3
Aircraft Serial Number 1853
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4096
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GATX LEASING CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4 EMBARCADERO CTR, SUITE 220
Aircraft Owner City SAN FRANCISCO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WESTERN HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 579
Operator City RIALTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92376
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 955
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --