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An A355 twin STAR helicopter on descent at 700 ft had the transmission cowling depart the aircraft due to not being secured on the preflight check.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 463830 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200002 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ldj.airport |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | agl single value : 700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | AS 355 Twinstar |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 2610 flight time type : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 463830 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During the descent into the traffic pattern, the transmission cowling departed the aircraft at about 600-700 ft AGL at 60 KTS. During the postflt inspection, it was discovered that damage to the 3 main rotor hubs was sustained. The cause of the incident was an interruption of the preflight inspection by me to assist maintenance personnel move/pack a transmission about the hangar. This interruption occurred as I was being introduced to the twin STAR preflight procedures. It is likely that after the right transmission cowling was opened for the preflight inspection, it was not secured before flight. The cowling was located in a parking lot. No injury to any parties.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A355 TWIN STAR HELI ON DSCNT AT 700 FT HAD THE XMISSION COWLING DEPART THE ACFT DUE TO NOT BEING SECURED ON THE PREFLT CHK.
Narrative: DURING THE DSCNT INTO THE TFC PATTERN, THE XMISSION COWLING DEPARTED THE ACFT AT ABOUT 600-700 FT AGL AT 60 KTS. DURING THE POSTFLT INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT DAMAGE TO THE 3 MAIN ROTOR HUBS WAS SUSTAINED. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS AN INTERRUPTION OF THE PREFLT INSPECTION BY ME TO ASSIST MAINT PERSONNEL MOVE/PACK A XMISSION ABOUT THE HANGAR. THIS INTERRUPTION OCCURRED AS I WAS BEING INTRODUCED TO THE TWIN STAR PREFLT PROCS. IT IS LIKELY THAT AFTER THE R XMISSION COWLING WAS OPENED FOR THE PREFLT INSPECTION, IT WAS NOT SECURED BEFORE FLT. THE COWLING WAS LOCATED IN A PARKING LOT. NO INJURY TO ANY PARTIES.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.