Lost #4 bearing cluster on a T53....
Staging out of a PSP strip at Ca Mau. Hueys, 3 Vs of 5, I was gold 3, Peter Pilot's turn driving and we were straight and level at 80K and about 1500' with a VN mortar squad of 8-10 pax. Departure strip in sight, mile or so away.
Aircraft gave a "Pop" noise, yawed, RPM Warning started going... I took the aircraft, engine RPM needle at 0, but Rotor RPM in green and engine sounds were sweet. EGT was going to high end of green, made the call to trail that I had a problem, lowered collective to drop from the formation, got the PP to kill the RPM warning beedle, figured I had a chance to fly it back. EGT came down some, so raised nose to 60 knots and began a slow turn back to the strip, pulling enough power to slow the rate of descent and keep the EGT green.
Eveything cool but by the time I figure out we could make it back, not enough time to clear the sticks of waiting troopies off the grass. Nursed her back and did a run on the way I knew the planks were laid so's not to rip the skid shoes.
Altitude and airspeed, rate of descent worked out to about the first third of the strip before we touched down, and held what I had, keeping light as possible and stopped at about the two thirds mark down the strip. Black hats had cleared me in, and after we'd touched down, but were still sliding down the strip, the pax mostly bailed -- might have had one or two left when we stopped.
Maint. guy came over and told me he needed to move the aircraft for resupply, and proceeded to try to start it. Sparks from the tail were interesting -- seems she wanted to hot start, so he shut it down, pissed at me cause I was blocking the runway and he didn't have ground handling wheels....
Figured I might yet catch more hell for blocking the runway. The spare bird driver wanted me to take his aircraft and rejoin the flight, which I declined, citing pending deep breathing, debriefing and declenching maneuvers...
In about an hour, a chinook was hauling the crew and aircraft and I back to Soc Trang, and after doing the stuff at Operations, I further debriefed at the club. When the rest of the flight rejoined on me at the club, they were yukking it up about how calm my call to Trail was about "my little problem" with the deedling RPM warning as background on the radio.
Got a 13 Bn "Broken Wing" award for a successful save. Surprised me ! Felt goofy about the whole thing afterwards can't recall hearing about anything like it happening -- no SOP, as far as I know. Not sure if I should have kept on driving with the flight and the spare, or if what I did was appropriate.
Engine oil hose to #4 or 5 bearing cluster had sprung a leak, taking out the N1 tach and oil was all over the engine housing and the inside of the open door on that side. Engine oil remaining was a little on the low and hot side.
Last edited by 2000hrsinVN; 14th Jun 2006 at 09:20.