N673P
Registered owner: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC, TX (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
No operator established for this aircraft.
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
DURING FLIGHT THE DISPATCH MESSAGE XMSN: MGB CHIP FRT AGB SENSOR DISPLAYED, CREW INITIATED RTB.
DURING CLIMB OUT, NOTICED A MGB CHIP DISPATCH MESSAGE.
LEFT HYD SYS OIL LEAKAGE WAS DETECTED ON THE SYNOPTIC DISPLAY. AT FL410 AND 1.5 HOURS OUT THE PIC ELECTED TO TURN BACK TO DEPARTURE. WITH 0.5 GALLONS OF HYD FLUID REMAINING, THE ACFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MX DETECTED FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE LT PYLON. UPON EXPOSURE THE LT ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP CASE DRAIN FLEXIBLE HOSE WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING AT THE FLEX HOSE SECTION. THE LEAKAGE WAS CAUSED BY CHAFING ACTION BETWEEN THE HOSE AND PYLON BULKHEAD FS767 PORTHOLE. EVIDENCE OF ADDITIONAL CHAFING WAS FOUND AT BULKHEAD FS782 BUT NOT SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE LEAKAGE. THE PRIMARY FAILURE MODE WAS LOOSE HOSE STAND OFF CLAMPS THAT CAUSED THE HOSE TO SWING INTO CONTACT WITH THE BULKHEADS. PLEASE REF MFG IPC 29-00-02, FIG 5 PAGE 0. FLEX HOSE IS ITEM 85. CLAMP IS ITEM 95.
THE LT SYS HYD FLUID LEAKAGE WAS DETECTED AT MIDPOINT OF A 2 HR FLIGHT AT FL 410. DURING DESCENT, THE INDICATION WENT CLOSE TO ZERO. THE PIC ELECTED TO DIVERT FOR THE LARGER 12,000 FT RUNWAY IN CASE THE BRAKES AND NOSE WHEEL STEERING WERE DEGRADED. THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE FLUID LEAKAGE WAS CAUSED BY CHAFING OF THE MLG UP LOCK RELEASE HYD PRESSURE LINE ASSY WITH A NEAR VICINITY LARGER LINE THAT WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE CHAFING CLASH WAS CAUSED BY THE LACK OF A STANDOFF BRACKET. THE FAILED LINE HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE LT WHEEL WELL SINCE ORIGINAL MFG OF THE ACFT. THE CHAFED AREA WAS HIDDEN FROM DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT.