Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stuart, Florida 33494
Thursday, August 4, 1983 19:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT APRX 600 FT AGL, A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE'S 3RD STAGE TURBINE OCCURRED. THE PLT RELATED THAT HE OBSERVED AN ENGINE CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY FIRE IN THE ENGINE. HE MADE A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY USE OF HAND FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. FIRE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINE AREA. THE ENGINE WAS SHIPPED TO THE MANUFACTURER'S FACILITY FOR EXAMINATION. ACCORDING TO THEIR REPORT, THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN OIL TYPE CORROSION FROM THE I.D. SURFACE OF THE INNER POWER TURBINE SHAFT; CORROSION WEAKENED THE SHAFT BY REDUCING THE WALL THICKNESS WHICH RESULTED IN IT FRACTURING & ALLOWING THE 3RD STAGE TURBINE WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE 4TH STAGE TURBINE SHEEL & OVERSPEED; THE 3RD STAGE WHEEL THEN EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTAINED BURST FAILURE AS A RESULT OF THE OVERSPEED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STUART
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33494
Event Date Year 1983
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 Unknown
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 1950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2152
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22500
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 N51DC
NTSB Number MIA83LA199
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 2732
Certified Max Gross Weight 5800
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 Feb 4 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 6329
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUNDANCE HELICOPTER SVC., INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7700 S.W. MARTIN HIGHWAY
Aircraft Owner City STUART
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33494
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 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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --