Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 N813CE

Summary

On 8 August 1995 at about 22:45 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 registered N813CE was involved in an accident near Daggett, California, United States. 2 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.

Date

8 August 1995 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Daggett, California, United States

Coordinates

34.8606, -116.8103

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-355-F1

Registration

N813CE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Santa Ana

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA282

Nobody was injured.

the failure of the Starflex arm due to fatigue, and the manufacturer's inadequate maintenance procedure. The operator's maintenance personnel failure to understand the repair procedure was a factor in the accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER ENTERED GROUND RESONANCE BEFORE LIFT-OFF. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEFORE THEY STRUCK THE GROUND. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION SHOWED THAT ALL OF THE HELICOPTER COMPONENTS THAT COULD CAUSE GROUND RESONANCE WERE SERVICEABLE. EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN STARFLEX YELLOW ARM DISCLOSED THAT IT FRACTURED DUE TO FATIGUE IN AN AREA WHERE PREVIOUS REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND THAT ITS POROSITY LEVEL WAS HIGH. FATIGUE WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE RED ARM, ALSO IN A PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AREA. MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED THAT ALL THE STARFLEX ARMS RECEIVED A TEMPORARY REPAIR 4 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE REPAIR IN THE RED ARM DID NOT CONFORM TO THE TEMPORARY REPAIR PROCEDURE. EXAMINATION OF THE FULL REPAIR WAS NEVER ACCOMPLISHED, NOR WAS IT REQUIRED UNTIL THE ROTOR MAST WAS TO BE REMOVED FOR OTHER SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL DOES NOT SPECIFY THE TIME WHEN THE TEMPORARY REPAIR OF THE STARFLEX ARM SHOULD BE FULLY REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVES STATE THAT THE FULL REPAIR SHOULD BE MADE WHEN THE ROTOR HEAD IS REMOVED FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.