Aerospatiale AS-355-F2 accident near Burlington, NC
On October 17, 2000, an Aerospatiale AS-355-F2 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Burlington, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 17, 2000
- Place
- Burlington, NC
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-355-F2 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.080°N, 79.441°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X22206
NTSB summary
History of the Flight On October 16, 2000, about 2355 eastern daylight time, a Eurocopter AS-355-F2, N355DU, registered to Duke University, and operated by Corporate Jets, Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 maintenance ferry flight, crashed shortly after takeoff from Alamance Regional Medical Center, Burlington, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed and the commercial-rated pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated about 1 minute before the accident. The helicopter was dispatched, with the pilot and 2 flight nurses, from Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, to Alamance Regional Medical Center, at about 2209, to pick up a patient. The flight nurses stated that about 5 minutes before landing at Alamance Regional Medical Center, the main transmission oil pressure warning light illuminated. The pilot observed the light and reported to them that they were about equal distance from the Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport and the Alamance Regional Medical Center. They elected to continue to the Alamance Regional Medical Center and land. After landing the pilot stated he would not do an engine cool down, and immediately shutdown the engines. During the shutdown, one of the flight nurses reported noticing a burning type smell. This was brought to the pilot's attention and he stated it was probably due to the quick shutdown. The flight back to Duke Hospital with the patient was canceled and a mechanic was dispatched to repair the helicopter. One of the flight nurses sta
Probable cause
The mechanics failure to comply with manufacturers instructions for correction of a illuminated main rotor gearbox oil pressure warning light resulting in the helicopter being dispatched on a ferry flight with a failed main rotor gearbox oil pump, failure of the main rotor gearbox combining gearbox gears due to oil starvation, loss of main rotor RPM, and the helicopter colliding with trees and the
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Browse: North Carolina · Aerospatiale 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.
