VALLEJO, CA, USA
N5108E
HUGHES 369D
DURING AN AIR TAXI CARGO FLIGHT ENGINE POWER WAS SUDDENLY LOST & THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO A LANDING ON A WET MARSH. AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST THE MAIN ROTORS SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE PC TUBE ASSEMBLY, P/N 6848471, HAD FAILED AT THE SCROLL FITTING FERRULE, & THIS BROKEN LINE CONDITION PRODUCED AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PC TUBE HAD A TOTAL OF 11.8 HOURS OF USE SINCE BEING INSTALLED/MANUFACTURED. A METALLURGICAL FAILURE ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THE PC TUBE HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE.
FATIGUE FAILURE OF A DEFECTIVE PC TUBE ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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