Finally came back to look at this thread as it intrigued the heck out of me. I also made an OB way back about whether the oil temp gauge worked off a wet bulb or not. If it did, then the temp guage will quite quickly reduce in temp as the oil disappears, (the same as a motor car water radiator wet bulb after one clobbers a Kangaroo or some other road loiterer and buggers the radiator) leading to a false conclusion that all may not be quite so bad. This looks like a conclusion reached by the crew in the lead up paras of the report when they levelled off at 800 feet.
Nowadays we all seem to have to adhere to these blessed SMS courses and manuals.
This report overlooks any safety aspect in the company SMS material (according to the report) that may emanate from lack of oil or how the wet bulb will not then work, and what to do about it.
Fat lot of good all that money spent on SMS in this case. Loaded the crew up with a whole heap of gaff, except the really important stuff!
I wonder if the recurrency training is now doing anything about this, not only this type but all types that use a wet bulb sensor.
In the extract below one can see clearly why the pilot made the mistake of flying on. I.E. no knowledge, or simply overlooked, how to interpret a cooling wet bulb temp after it had first run hot. together of course with no oil pressure.
It is so sad that something so simple can be overlooked and lead to catastrophe. A revolting systemic abomination.
1.17.3.2 S-92A Classroom Training
For the S-92A, Cougar Helicopters sends many of its pilots to the Flight Safety International (FSI) facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, for the initial course and subsequent recurrent training. Although less frequently, Cougar Helicopters also sends pilots to the FSI facility at Farnborough, United Kingdom. The captain had completed his most recent recurrent training from 05 to 09 January 2009 at the FSI facility at Farnborough UK. Having completed his initial S-92A training in May 2008, the first officer was due for recurrent training in June 2009.
FSI has been the Sikorsky factory-authorized training source for pilots and maintenance technicians since 1983. The FSI web site advises that it is dedicated to keeping its instruction accurate and up to date. Similarly, the Sikorsky web site indicates that Sikorsky's alliance with FSI provides its S-92 commercial customers with the highest quality training available, with factory-approved curriculum for the helicopter at its Learning Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Although Sikorsky does not actually approve the content of the S-92 Pilot Training Manual (PTM), Sikorsky pilots who take the S-92 ground school and simulator programs monitor the content, and provide recommendations for improvement to FSI. There is frequent contact between FSI and the Sikorsky customer service representative to address questions about training.
The recurrent ground training, including helicopter systems training, is taught referencing the FSI S-92A PTM and the S-92A RFM and consists of 22 hours of classroom instruction. An assessment of the course content was completed based on investigation interviews, a review of the FSI training module and a review of Chapter 10 of the PTM, which covers the S-92A powertrain.
The PTM powertrain chapter explains that lubrication of the MGB is through a dual lubrication pump system. The PTM includes a lubrication system schematic for the powertrain that depicts the dual lubrication pumps and a picture of the two external oil pumps mounted on the front of the powertrain. It also notes that if one pump should fail, the lubrication system can still supply sufficient lubrication; however, the pressure will drop to the lower green range (i.e., approximately 45 PSI). The PTM states that if both pumps should fail (loss of all lubrication), safe operation is still possible for a short period of time. There is no mention as to how long the gearbox would be able to continue operating, nor is there an identified recommended maximum time of continued safe operation, following a loss of lubricant in either the PTM or RFM.
The PTM is consistent with the RFM, part 2, section 1 with the exception of its explanation of the oil pressure sensing system. The PTM mentions that if the MGB oil pressure drops below 24 psi (sensed by the switch at the left accessory module) or 35 psi (measured by the pressure transducer in the input manifold), the red MGB OIL PRES warning message appears and a "gearbox pressure…gearbox pressure" audio sounds. However, the manufacturer has since clarified to the TSB that the information in the RFM is correct and that each sensor must independently record low oil pressure conditions; the transducer oil pressure must drop to 35 psi and the oil pressure at the left accessory module must decrease to 24 psi in order for the aural warning and the master warning to activate.
Other MGB components identified in the PTM include the chip detector, the oil temperature sensor, the MGB oil pressure switch, and the oil pressure sensor. The PTM does not include information regarding how the temperature gauge senses temperature (i.e., that it is a wet bulb requiring immersion in oil) or that it would be unreliable in the event of a total loss of oil, as it would, in such a case, measure ambient temperature inside the MGB case.