Bell 206L N16696

Summary

On 29 October 1993 at about 16:40 local time, a Bell 206L registered N16696 was involved in an incident near New York, New York, United States. 6 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 October 1993 at 16:40

Classification

Incident

Location

New York, New York, United States

Coordinates

40.7503, -73.9794

Aircraft

Bell 206L

Registration

N16696

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC94IA023

Nobody was injured.

Inadequate maintenance which resulted in the improper alignment of the 'O' ring on the spur adapter gear drive which caused lack of lubrication and wear of the gear drive and the disengagement of the compressor and turbine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT AND OVER THE EAST RIVER IN NEW YORK CITY WHEN THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT DEPLOYED THE EMERGENCY FLOATS, INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION AND LANDED ON THE RIVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOUND AN 'O' RING WAS IN AN IMPROPER POSITION ON THE TURBINE SPLINED ADAPTER WHICH CONNECTS THE TURBINE AND COMPRESSOR SECTIONS OF THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE SPLINED END WAS DRY OF LUBRICATION AND WORN TO THE POINT OF DISENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPRESSOR AND TURBINE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, DURING ENGINE ASSEMBLY, THE 'O' RING IS INSTALLED AND CHECKED TO SEE THAT IT IS IN THE PROPER POSITION, THEN THE ENGINE HALVES ARE ASSEMBLED. DURING THE ASSEMBLY, WHEN THE 'O' RING IS NO LONGER VISIBLE IT COULD BE ROLLED OUT OF POSITION OR DAMAGED. THIS COULD PREVENT LUBRICATION FROM REACHING THE SPLINED END.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.