INTRACOASTAL CI, LA, USA
N5752W
BELL 212
THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN A SUDDEN AND SEVERE RIGHT YAW OCCURRED. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WAS AUTOROTATED TO A DITCHING IN ROUGH WATER. TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE ON TOP OF A WAVE, THEN THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. THE SURVIVORS DID NOT GET THE RAFT OUT. ANOTHER HELICOPTER ARRIVED BUT COULD NOT LAND IN THE ROUGH SEA. A LIFE RAFT WAS DROPPED, BUT IT WAS BLOWN DOWNWIND BY THE TIME A SURVIVOR (THE COPILOT) SWAM TO IT AND GOT IT INFLATED. THE COPILOT WAS UNABLE TO PADDLE AGAINST THE WIND TO THE OTHER SURVIVORS. THE HELICOPTER SANK BEFORE A RESCUE BOAT ARRIVED. HOWEVER, IT WAS RECOVERED, LATER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FEMALE PORTION OF A TAIL ROTOR COUPLING, PN 204-040-604-5, HAD FAILED DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THE PROPER TYPE OF LUBRICANT HAD BEEN USED. AN EXAM OF THE COUPLING SEAL, PN 204-040-611-1, REVEALED TEARS AND A CIRCUMFERENTIAL CUT, .14 TO .16 INCH LONG. GREASE WAS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE CUT AREA. THE HELICOPTER HAD ACCUMULATED 1226 HRS TOTAL TIME AND 376 HRS SINCE OVERHAUL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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