Fairchild FH-1100 accident near Malina Bay, AK
On May 17, 1993, a Fairchild FH-1100 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Malina Bay, AK. 2 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 17, 1993
- Place
- Malina Bay, AK
- Aircraft
- Fairchild FH-1100 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 2 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 57.790°N, 152.400°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X12259
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 17, 1993, at 1415 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped FH 1100 helicopter, N5060F, registered to Tom Walters, and operated by Sea Hawk, Inc., of Kodiak, Alaska, crashed into trees while attempting to execute a forced landing. The air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed Kodiak Municipal Airport on a company visual flight rules flight plan, and the destination was Malina Lake, near Malina Bay, on Afognak Island, Alaska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the Pilot-in-Command and the three passengers were seriously injured. According to the Pilot in Command, they had just made a low pass over an archeological site on the beach and were climbing over rising terrain and trees. The pilot heard a bang and immediately began to lose rotor RPM. He turned left to reach a small clearing and struck the tree tops at the edge of the clearing. The helicopter impacted the ground at the base of the trees. TEST AND RESEARCH The on site examination of the helicopter showed that the engine to transmission drive shaft assembly rotated freely in both directions. Subsequent metallurgical examination showed that the coupling on the engine end of the shaft failed as a result of fatigue cracking in the forward diaphragm. According to the Metallurgist, the location of fatigue initiation could not be determined due to the extensive post fracture rotational damage. Examination of the aircraft logbooks revealed the following information. The engine to transmission drive shaft, part number PN 19E49-3, seria
Probable cause
THE INSTALLATION OF A BOGUS TRANSMISSION TO ENGINE DRIVESHAFT. THE FAILURE OF THE COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH THE SERVICE BULLETINS AND LETTERS WAS A FACTOR.
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Browse: Alaska · Fairchild aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
