MOUNTAIN VIEW, WY, USA
N49532
AEROSPATIALE SA315B LAMA
THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION. THE PLT RELEASED THE LOAD AND PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION. A HARD LANDING RESULTED DURING WHICH THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COMPRESSOR SECTION REVEALED THE REAR 1/3 OF THE #3 COMPRESSOR BLADE SEPARATED FROM THE ASS'Y BY A TRANSVERSE FRACTURE THROUGH THE PLATFORM AND AIRFOIL. THE #5 ATTACHMENT PIN SEPARATED APRX 1/4 INCH FROM ITS AFT SURFACE. THE FRACTURE OCCURRED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF STRESS CORROSION CRACKING, FATIGUE PROGRESSION AND BENDING OVERSTRESS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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