PHI Aviation, LLC

Operated by PHI AVIATION LLC (per NTSB report)

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper helicopter control during autorotation that resulted in an abnormal ground contact which caused the subsequent main rotor strike on the tail boom that severed the tail rotor driveshaft. Contributing to the accident was the main rotor blowback condition, due to the aft tilting of the main rotor disk.

Fatigue failure of the power turbine outer shaft for undetermined reasons.

The loss of engine power due to the failure of the 3rd stage turbine wheel and subsequent catastrophic failure of the turbine assembly.

The short circuit of the C321capacitor in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that resulted in a single-point failure of the ECU's -15V power supply which disengaged/reverted the Hydro-mechanical Unit (HMU) from automatic to manual fuel control. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's attempted remedial actions in the manual mode that resulted in the engine over temperature and loss of power, and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Part: GEARBOX — INDICATION (TAIL ROTOR) · airframe 990 hrs

TGB CHIP LIGHT. ENROUTE FROM MC809A TO HOUMA, TGB CHIP LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY 4 TIMES. PILOTS DECIDED TO DEVIATE TO KGAO FOLLOWING THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE.

Part: BRACE — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 700) · airframe 10,254 hrs

ON CLIMB OUT FROM KGLS, RIGHT SIDE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT.

Part: SENSOR — DIRTY (FADEC) · airframe 10,956 hrs

FADEC1 FAULT ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY FADEC 2 FAULT SEVERAL MINUTES LATER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. RTB. DURING RTB BOTH CAS EXTINGUISHED PRIOR TO LANDING.

Part: CHIP DETECTOR — DIRTY (MAIN GEARBOX) · airframe 707 hrs · 1,301 cycles

DURING FLIGHT THE DISPATCH MESSAGE XMSN: MGB CHIP FRT AGB SENSOR DISPLAYED, CREW INITIATED RTB.

Part: ADC — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 100) · airframe 7,443 hrs

NR 2 ADC FAIL IN CRUISE FLIGHT. PERFORMED APPROPRIATE CHECKLIST AND RETURNED TO HMAN.

Part: GEARBOX — MAKING METAL (ZONE 200) · airframe 592 hrs

DURING CLIMB OUT, NOTICED A MGB CHIP DISPATCH MESSAGE.

Part: ADC — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 100) · airframe 484 hrs

AIR1 DATA FAIL DISPLAYED ON MASTER LIST DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. RTB HOUMA NORTH RAMP. BRIEFED PASSENGERS AND RELEASED AIRCRAFT TO MAINTENANCE.

Part: TRANSDUCER — INOPERATIVE (ENGINE) · airframe 9,593 hrs

NUMBER ONE ENGINE BARRIER FILTER MAINTENANCE CAUTION CAME ON IN FLIGHT RETURNED TO HOUMA. ALL OTHER ENGINE INDICATIONS NORMAL.

Part: COMPUTER — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 100) · airframe 823 hrs

DEPARTING HMALA ON CLIMB TO ALTITUDE, AP REDUNDANCY CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FOUND THAT AP2 WAS INOPERATIVE AND WOULD NOT RESET.

Part: APU — INOPERATIVE · airframe 12,002 hrs

DURING THE EXECUTION OF BEFORE LANDING CHECKS, THE AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU) FAILED TO START, AND THE APU FAIL CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CREW FOLLOWED THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES CHECKLIST AND RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE HOUMA HELIPORT.

Part: WARNING LIGHT — ILLUMINATED (CHIP DETECTOR) · airframe 10,732 hrs

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, IGB CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. LANDED BACK AT DESTINATION PLATFORM.

Part: VALVE — LEAKING (NR 1 OIL SYSTEM) · airframe 9,982 hrs

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, SLOW STEADY DECREASE OF NUMBER 1 ENGINE OIL PSI WAS NOTED.

Part: UNKNOWN — NOISE · airframe 6,958 hrs

WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 400 FEET AGL, A LOUD BANG WAS OBSERVED, COINCIDING WITH A BRIEF UNCOMMANDED YAW TO THE LEFT.

Part: OIL CAP — LOOSE (NR 2 ENGINE) · airframe 668 hrs

WHITE ENG TREND MESSAGE, FOLLOWED BY RED ENG 2 OIL LOW PRESS DISPLAYED IN CRUISE FLIGHT. BROUGHT ENG 2 TO IDLE. ENG 2 OIL LOW PRESS MESSAGED EXTINGUISHED.

Part: ADC — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 100) · airframe 9,970 hrs

#2 ADC FAILED IN FLIGHT.

Part: SENSOR — INOPERATIVE (APU) · airframe 9,316 hrs

APU FAIL CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING BEFORE LANDING CHECKS.

Part: TRANSMISSION — MAKING METAL (MAIN GEARBOX) · airframe 53,435 hrs

TRANSMISSION CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN FLIGHT, RETURNED TO DEPARTURE POINT.

Part: TRANSMISSION — MAKING METAL (MAIN) · airframe 10,090 hrs

ENROUTE TO SM76, TRANSMISSION CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED INFLIGHT. CONTACTED COMM CENTER AND FOUND NEAREST AVAILABLE PLATFORM TO LAND. NO SECONDARY INDICATIONS. DAY MECHANIC PERFORMED CHIP LIGHT INVESTIGATION OFFSHORE. CLEANED AND INSPECTED TRANSMISSION CHIP DETECTORS, PERFORMED PENALTY RUN, AND AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE.

Part: ACTUATOR — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 700) · airframe 11,689 hrs

ON INITIAL CLIMB OUT, LANDING GEAR FAILED TO RETRACT. EMERGENCY PROCEDURE PERFORMED AND GEAR HANDLE PLACED DOWN. DOWN LOCKED 3 GREEN INDICATION AND AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: APU — FAILED (ZONE 100) · airframe 10,983 hrs

BEFORE LANDING OFFSHORE, APU FAIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. EMERGENCY PROCEDURE PERFORMED. RETURNED TO HOUMA.

Part: CHIP DETECTOR — LOOSE (MAIN GEARBOX) · airframe 11,421 hrs

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, IGB HOT LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

Part: RELAY — FAILED · airframe 5,653 hrs

WHILE IN CRUISE AT 7000'INBOUND FROM SS332B'SYS1 BUS TIE OPEN SYS2" CAUTION CAME ON. PERFORMED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AND CONTACTED MAINTENANCE AFTER LANDING IN HMA.

Part: PLATE — CRACKED (#1 ENGINE) · airframe 9,671 hrs

DURING DEPARTURE FROM MC782/DEEPWATER POSEIDON THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN UN-COMMANDED, INFLIGHT SHUTDOWN OF THE #1 ENGINE. THE AIRCREW FOLLOWED THE CHECKLIST EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AND LANDED AT HOUMA WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

Part: GEARBOX — MAKING METAL (MAIN) · airframe 11,714 hrs

ON CLIMB OUT, GOT A MAIN GEARBOX CHIP CAS MSG. BURNED IT THREE TIMES AND CAME ON A FOURTH TIME.

Part: RELAY — INOPERATIVE (ELECTRICAL) · airframe 5,603 hrs

#1 AND #2 BUS TIE OPEN LIGHT CAME ON IN FLIGHT.

Part: RELAY — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 100) · airframe 5,603 hrs

#1 AND #2 BUS TIE OPEN LIGHT CAME ON IN FLIGHT.

Part: SWITCH — INOPERATIVE (MLG WOW) · airframe 10,828 hrs

LANDING GEAR WILL NOT RETRACT.

Part: GEARBOX — CHIPPED (MAIN GEAR BOX) · airframe 5,274 hrs

AFTER LEVEL OFF AT 6000' OUTBOUND, APPROXIMATELY 15NM SOUTH OF HOUMA, MGB CHIP CAUTION CAME ON. PERFORMED "CHIP PULSE" PER THE CHECKLIST WITH NO EFFECT. RETURNED TO HOUMA AND CONTACTED MAINTENANCE.

Part: GEARBOX — MAKING METAL (MAIN ROTOR) · airframe 9,564 hrs

LN CRUISE ON A FLIGHT FROM HMA TO GB-386 POSEIDON, A MGB CHLP CAUTION ILLUMINATED, FOLLOWED BY INPUT 2 CHIP CAUTION APPROXIMATELY 4 MINUTES LATER. CREW DEVIATED TO KHUM UPON FIRST CAUTION.

Part: CONTROL PANEL — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 700) · airframe 10,809 hrs

DURING CLIMB, LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT WHEN GEAR HANDLE WAS RAISED.

Part: CONTROL PANEL — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 700) · airframe 10,809 hrs

DURING CLIMB, LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT WHEN GEAR HANDLE WAS RAISED. PILOT ELECTED TO LOWER GEAR HANDLE AND LAND.

Part: STARTER GEN — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 400) · airframe 5,552 hrs

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT SYSTEM 1 & SYSTEM 2 BUS TIE OPEN CAUTION LIGHT ILLIMINATED. PERFORMED CHECKLIST PROCEDURE AND RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: STARTER GEN — INOPERATIVE (NR 2) · airframe 13,242 hrs

#2 GENERATOR FAILED DURING OUR HIGH ORBIT OF MC773. CONTINUED ORBITING AND FOLLOWED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECKLIST. UNABLE TO RESET. LANDED AT MC773 WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Part: CONTROL PANEL — INOPERATIVE (ZONE 700) · airframe 9,334 hrs

DURING TAKEOFF FROM HOUMA THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT.

Part: TRANSMISSION — MAKING METAL (MAIN) · airframe 25,802 hrs

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, CHIP XMSN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. RETURNED TO HMAE.

Part: SUPPORT — LOOSE (TAILBOOM) · airframe 13,663 hrs

T/R GEAR BOX MOUNTING CAN ON AFT END OF TAILBOOM HAS LOOSE FASTENERS.

Part: HANDLE — LOOSE (HEATER VALVE) · airframe 26,969 hrs

HEATER STUCK ON IN THE ON POSITION. WHEN MORE COLLECTIVE RAISED, FELT MORE HEAT, ALSO VERY FAINT SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. VALVE HANDLE LOOSE. DEBRIS IN HEATER DUCT EMITTED ODOR WHEN HOT.

Part: GEARBOX — MAKING METAL (NR 1) · airframe 10,346 hrs

#1 INPUT CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

Part: TRANSDUCER — INOPERATIVE · airframe 9,147 hrs

DURING 3Q CLIMB OUT, FLUCTUATIONS IN TORQUE AND N1 OBSERVED WITH YAW TO THE LEFT. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY DECU MINOR FAULT. PROCEEDED TO RTB.

Part: MASTER SWITCH — INOPERATIVE (ELECTRICAL) · airframe 5,341 hrs

BUS TIE OPEN #1 AND #2 INFLIGHT. PERFORMED EP AND RETURNED TO HOUMA.

Part: CONNECTOR — DIRTY (CHIP DETECTOR) · airframe 10,051 hrs

CHIP SYSTEMS FAULT AND IGB OIL HOT LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

Part: GCU — INOPERATIVE (NR 1 GENERATOR) · airframe 5,901 hrs

#1 GENERATOR FAILURE.

Part: GENERATOR — INOPERATIVE (NR 1) · airframe 5,895 hrs

WHILE IN CRUISE FLT @ 4000 FT, THE AC #1 GENERATOR FAILED. AFTER FOLLOWING THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECKLIST, WE CUT OFF THE AC #1 GENERATOR AND CONTINUED TO OUR DESTINATION OF HOUMA WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Part: TRANSMITTER — INOPERATIVE (MAIN GEARBOX) · airframe 9,095 hrs

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE MGB PRESSURE INDICATION BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 65PSI TO 0 PSI. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL (NR 2) · airframe 4,842 hrs

#2 ENGINE CHIP CAUTION LIGHT ON.

Part: MOTOR — INOPERATIVE (EVAP BLOWER) · airframe 7,440 hrs

15 MINUTES FROM HOUMA, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF A/C VENTS. AIR CONDITIONER AND FAN WERE TURNED OFF AND SMOKE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED.

Part: SENSOR — INOPERATIVE (G/B OIL PRESSUR) · airframe 10,328 hrs

ON OUTBOUND LEG, DURING CLIMB OUT, MGB PRESSURE INCREASED INTO THE PRECAUTIONARY (YELLOW) RANGE. RTB, DECLARED EMERGENCY, LANDED RUNWAY 36 AT HOUMA.

Part: ACTUATOR — INOPERATIVE (LANDING GEAR) · airframe 9,490 hrs

BEFORE LANDING CHECKS, THE NOSE GEAR SHOWED LOCKED DOWN BUT 2X MAIN GEAR WERE SHOWING AMBER CAUTION LIGHTS. AIRSPEED WAS REDUCED AND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND HYDRAULIC PAGE WAS CHECKED. ALL WAS NORMAL & GEAR WAS CYCLED 3 TIMES. THE MAIN GEAR WAS STILL SHOWING AMBER CAUTIONS SO THE EMERGENCY DOWN SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED PER QRH.

Part: CONNECTOR — CONTAMINATED (OIL SUMP) · airframe 9,470 hrs

AFTER TAKE-OFF DURING CLIMB OUT MAIN GEAR BOX CHIP SUMP KEEP CAME ON AND OFF NONSTOP. RTB. FOUND OIL & WATER IN SUMP CHIP PLUG CONNECTOR. CLEANED CONNECTOR.

Part: PROXIMITY SWITCH — INOPERATIVE (MLG) · airframe 12,904 hrs

LANDING GEAR INITIALLY WOULD NOT RETRACT. AFTER CYCLING THE LANDING GEAR ONCE, IT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY AND RETRACTED.