CHARLOTTE, NC, USA
N58188
HUGHES 269C
WHILE FLYING AT 300' TO 500' AGL ON A CABLE PATROL FLT, THE PLT HEARD A LOUD LOISE. THE ROTOR RPM STARTED TO DECAY & THE ENG RPM INCREASED SHARPLY. THE PLT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO A PARKING LOT, BUT HAD TO MANEUVER TO AVOID TREES & A VEHICLE. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE RGT SKID, COLLAPSING THE SKID & DAMAGING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. AN INV REVEALED THE FORWARD COUPLING SPLINES ON THE LOWER PULLEY DRIVE SHAFT, PN 269A5559-3, HAD FAILED, EFFECTIVELY DISCONNECTING THE ENG FROM THE MAIN ROTOR. THE BOOT FOR RETAINING THE LUBRICANT IN THE SPLINE AREA WAS MISSING & THE SPLINE & RECEPTACLE WERE DRY OF LUBRICANT. THE ACDNT OCCURRED ABOUT 71 HRS AFTER THE COUPLINGS HAD BEEN REPACKED WITH LUBRICANT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
