KAMUELA, HI, USA
N9230F
HUGHES 369C
WHILE ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO A NEARBY ROAD. ON TOUCH DOWN THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE LEFT AND SKIDDED OFF THE ROAD BUCKLING THE LEFT SKID. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE TURBINE WHEELS SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE HIGH TEMPERATURE DISTRESS. THE FUEL CONTROL EXCEEDED ITS SERVICE LIMITS ON THE START AND ACCELERATION SCHEDULES. THE FUEL FILTER VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE BYPASS POSITION WITH ITS SPRING RUSTED AND THE VALVE SEAT CONTAINED DIRT PARTICLES. THE TURBINE OUTLET TEMPERATURE INDICATOR GAVE FALSE INDICATIONS, A LOWER THAN APPLIED TEMPERATURE, THROUGHOUT ITS OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS WHICH EXCEEDED THE SERVICABLE TOLERANCES.
THE INADEQUATE 100-HOUR INSPECTION PERFORMED BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT ARE THE FUEL CONTROL EXCEEDING THE MANUFACTURERS' SERVICE LIMITS; THE INOPERATIVE FUEL FILTER; THE OVERTEMPERATURE OF THE GAS GENERATOR TURBINE AND FREE TURBINE WHEELS; AND THE FALSE INDICATIONS OF THE TURBINE OUTLET TEMPERATURE INDICATOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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