Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 N435PH

Summary

On 1 December 2011 at about 16:05 local time, a Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 registered N435PH, operated by PHI Inc, was involved in an incident near Gulf Of Mexico, United States. 2 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

1 December 2011 at 16:05

Classification

Incident

Location

Gulf Of Mexico, United States

Coordinates

28.4247, -92.8750

Aircraft

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407

Registration

N435PH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

PHI Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ec-278C → Ec-261

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12IA096

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the compressor section No. 2 bearing due to false brinnelling and fatigue.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While maneuvering for a precautionary landing to an oil rig platform because of a chip light indication, the helicopter's engine lost power. The pilot entered an autorotation, called mayday, inflated the helicopter’s floats, and performed a successful water landing. The pilot and passenger were able to exit the helicopter unassisted into a life raft and were picked up within 10 minutes. Examination and disassembly of the engine revealed the No. 2 bearing had failed. Metallurgical examination of the bearing showed the No. 2 bearing outer ring cracked in fatigue due to false brinnelling, which occurs in cases where the bearing is stationary but is subjected to ambient vibration or shock during transport. A spalling area was severe enough to propagate mechanical stress in the outer ring causing the ring to fracture. The engine compressor section was overhauled 2.7 hours before the failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.