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Old 14th Oct 2013, 03:13
  #2081 (permalink)  
Saint Jack
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: South East Asia
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Reference Post #2065, 14th picture showing "...Duri based 206 after non-fatal tail rotor failure". if I remember correctly, this accident was caused by incorrectly installed tail rotor driveshaft bearing hangars. They were fitted using the diagram in the IPB for guidance, unfortunately unknown to the mechanics the diagram was wrong and showed the spring-loaded clamps on the opposite (wrong) side. As luck would have it, on this particular helicopter, one of the bearings failed and eventually seized. In this situation, the spring-loaded clamp should have opened-up (under the rotational influence of the seized bearing) and allowed the entire bearing to rotate in the hangar giving the helicopter time to get on the ground. But instead, the rotation of the tail rotor driveshaft caused the clamp to grip the seized bearing tighter until the driveshaft failed.

As can be seen from the photograph, the helicopter made a reasonable landing under the circumstances (i.e. jungle-like terrain) but unfortunately a tree stump penetrated the pilots side of the cockpit (see photograph) and caused major injuries the pilot. He was a tall, lanky Austrian who eventually ended up, if I remember correctly, with a steel pin in his hip (?) before eventually resuming flying duties. By the way, he was also a keen amateur photographer and cook, I still have one of his photographs on my wall. The last time I saw him he was flying 212's in Iran.

The incorrect IPB diagram was quickly identified and corrected, following this Bell sent a letter to all operators telling mechanics not to use the diagrams in the IPB for assembly guidance - the letter emphasized that the IPB was for part identification only and that the maintenance manual must be used for assembly work. Sadly, even today, I see many mechanics going to the IPB to determine which-parts-go-where.
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