Aerospatiale AS350-D N889AT
11 August 1994 · Kukuihaele, Hawaii, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 11 August 1994 at about 22:15 local time, a Aerospatiale AS350-D registered N889AT was involved in an accident near Kukuihaele, Hawaii, United States. 7 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kukuihaele, Hawaii, United States
- Coordinates
- 20.0698, -155.4592
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350-D
- Registration
- N889AT
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hilo → Waimea
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94FA317
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Probable cause
a fatigue crack in the 'T' fitting on the power turbine governor pneumatic accumulator. A factor was the rough, rock-covered landing area.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING A SIGHTSEEING HELICOPTER TOUR FLIGHT AT 1200 FEET AGL, THE PILOT HEARD AND THEN NOTICED A DECREASE IN THE MAIN ROTOR RPM. THE PILOT BEGAN A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO A BOULDER-COVERED LEDGE ABOUT 50 FEET FROM THE SURF LINE. WHEN THE PILOT ADDED POWER FOR THE LANDING, THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE MAIN ROTOR RPM HORN SOUNDED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE ROCKS AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. A SUBSEQUENT ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED A FATIGUE CRACK IN A STEEL 'T' FITTING THAT ATTACHED THE PNEUMATIC PG ACCUMULATOR TO THE POWER TURBINE GOVERNOR. THE CRACK WAS LOCATED IN THE CHANNEL OF THE FITTING WHERE THE ADJACENT NUT RETENTION WIRE IS WRAPPED. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED NO OTHER CONDITIONS THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE INITIATION OF THE CRACK.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerospatiale AS350 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 1991 | Aerospatiale AS350 | Los Angeles, California, United States | City of Los Angeles | Unknown | - |
| 13 Oct 2000 | Aerospatiale AS350-BH | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | Blue Hawaiian Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 7 Feb 2002 | Aerospatiale AS350-B | Girdwood, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jul 2002 | Aerospatiale AS350 BA | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jan 2005 | Aerospatiale AS350-D | Falkner, Mississippi, United States | Air Methods Corporation | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Mar 2005 | Aerospatiale AS350-B2 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | Last Frontier Air Ventures Ltd | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov 1994 | Piper PA-28-140 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | David Michael Goff | Fatal | 2 |
| 13 Feb 1994 | Schweizer 2-33-A | Dillingham, Hawaii, United States | Soar Hawaii, Ltd. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Feb 1994 | Aerospatiale AS-350-B | Humuula, Hawaii, United States | Papillon Hawaiian Helicopters | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 1994 | Beechcraft C-23 | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1994 | Hughes 369D | Hi. Nat'l Park, Hawaii, United States | Mauna KEA Helicopters | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Oct 1994 | Eurocopter AS-350D | Kaupo, Hawaii, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |