Helicopter Flight Services, Inc.

Operated by Helicopter Flight Services Inc. (per NTSB report)

The fracture of the upper-left tail boom attachment bolt due to abnormal loading of the bolt caused by a gap and misalignment between the upper-left longeron and the tail boom. Contributing to this incident was the lack of a check to verify the absence of gaps or misalignments at the conclusion of installation for the upper-left longeron.

Operated by Helicopter Flight Services (per NTSB report)

The pilot's early entry into and failure to maintain rotor rpm during a forced landing autorotation after performing an engine shutdown in flight, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent. Contributing to the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel to properly rig the throttle control tie-rod assembly, which resulted in an in-flight separation of the assembly and rendered control of engine rpm impossible.

Operated by Helicopter Flight Services (per NTSB report)

The pilot's movement of the throttle to the idle detent at the beginning of a practice autorotation, which was contrary to procedures and resulted in the engine hesitating during the power recovery and a subsequent hard landing.

Operated by Helicopter Flight Services, Inc. (per NTSB report)

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in an attempted takeoff with an overweight helicopter, and subsequent impact with a pier and water. Factors were a high ambient temperature and unfavorable winds.

Operated by Helicopter Flight Services, Inc. (per NTSB report)

The pilot's improper flare while landing, which resulted in a collision with a concrete curb.

Sanction: $2,000 · case closed 2007-01-17

Part: SEAL — FAILED (PTO) · airframe 8,633 hrs · 4,623 cycles

PILOT REPORTED INCREASE IN ENGINE OIL PRESSURE AND DECREASE IN TRANSMISSION PRESSURE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE NEWLY INSTALLED PTO SEALS FAILED.

Part: FLOAT — MALFUNCTIONED (ZONE 700) · airframe 1,611 hrs · 4,318 cycles

DURING ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE APICAL LIGHTWEIGHT EMERGENCY FLOAT KIT (STC# SR01450LA) 3 YEAR INSPECTION THE SYSTEM IS ACTUATED AND THE EMERGENCY FLOATS ARE DEPLOYED. IT REQUIRED 3 ATTEMPTS TO ACTUATE THE SYSTEM. WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS A RIGGING ISSUE OR A LACK OF PHYSICAL TRAVEL OF THE CABLE AND HANDLE ASSEMBLY. THE FLOATS DID ULTIMATELY DEPLOY.

Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL · airframe 608 hrs · 2,533 cycles

AIRCRAFT HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FOR TOUR FLIGHT, ENGINE CHIP WARNING LIGHT ELIMINATED AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE PIER. MAINTENANCE FOUND EXCESSIVE METAL ON THE PLUGS AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO LINDEN, NJ BY TRUCK.

Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL · airframe 363 hrs · 807 cycles

AFTER ENGINE START, THE ENGINE CHIP DETECTOR CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PILOT SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND MAINTENANCE PULLED THE CHIP DETECTORS AND FOUND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CHIPS.

Part: HMU — DEGRADED (ENGINE) · airframe 5,658 hrs

PILOT REPORTED, CANNOT ROLL DOWN TO IDLE. FADEC DEGRADE AND RESTART FAULT ON CAUTION WARNING PANEL. FOLLOWED PROCEDURE AND CUT OFF FUEL. RESTART FAULT FLASHED 5 TIMES. RETURNED TO BASE, CHECKED PLA ANGLE WHEN IN HANGAR. FADEC FAILURE HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN CHECKING THE PLA ON THE TWIST GRIP AND COMPUTER.

Part: SEAL — DETERIORATED (ENGINE PTO SHAFT) · airframe 4,854 hrs

NOTICED LOSS OF TORQUE METER INDICATION AND FLUCTUATING TRANSMISSION OIL PRESSURE. TURNED BACK, TO RETURN TO PIER. ENGINE CHIP LIGHT CAME ON, WHILE LANDING ON THE PIER TRANSMISSION OIL PRESSURE LOW LIGHT CAME ON.AT ARRIVAL, NOTICED OIL UNDER ACFT, BELOW THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND OIL DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ACFT AND TAILBOOM. REMOVED THE OIL COOLER COWLING AND FOUND THE SEAMS OF THE ENGINE OIL TANK SPLIT. ABOUT A PINT OF OIL LT IN THE TANK. REMOVED THE ENGINE CHIP DETECTORS AND FOUND MINOR METAL ON THE LOWER DETECTOR, BUT MAJOR ACCUMULATION ON THE UPPER. THE CEFA OIL FILTER BYPASS BUTTON IS EXTENDED. ROTATION OF MAIN DRIVESHAFT PRODUCES GRINDING NOISE FROM TURBINE. MAIN TRANSMISSION, NO OIL SHOWING IN SIGHT GLASS. ALL CHIP DETECTORS ARE CLEAN. ENGINE REMOVAL REPORT; NG, TURNING THE COMPRESSOR IMPELLER WAS DIFFICULT AND FELT ROUGH. NP, TURNING THE PTO GEAR PRODUCED NOISE FROM THE TURBINE SECTION. BOROSCOPE INSPECTION OF THE NR 8 BEARING SHOWED INDICATIONS OF BEARING FAILURE. PTO SEALS APPEARED TO BE INTACT. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY SHOWED THAT THE DOUBLE LIP SEAL, AFT, HAD FAILED, THAT ALLOWED TRANSMISSION OIL TO ENTER THE ENGINE OIL SYSTEM. EXCESS OIL WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE ENGINE CAUSING THE ENGINE OIL TANK TO OVER PRESSURIZE AND BURST AT ITS SEAM, EMPTYING THE TANK OF ITS OIL. LACK OF OIL TO THE ENGINE DESTROYED THE TURBINE SECTION BEARINGS CAUSING THE ENGINE CHIP LIGHT.

Part: CHIP DETECTOR — ACTIVATED (ENGINE)

ENGINE CHIP LIGHT.