ADA AW139 Ditched?
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 768
Likes: 45
From: Montreal
Yes, I'll be watching this one close, as the 139 transmission has always been one of its jewels of design that solidly elevated it over the "weaker" 212/412 transmission. Plus the coveted "30 min run dry" halo.
High transmission temps are not uncommon in extended hovering in hot climates, but they come back down at lower power settings and better airflow in cruise. So something odd here with just high temp in cruise followed by "I'm about to self-destruct" transmission noises. No mention of pressure, chips, but early days before maintenance records/HUMS are known.
Anything from Leonardo? Bad year for 139's, but like the 92 the type most used will have the most incidents.
High transmission temps are not uncommon in extended hovering in hot climates, but they come back down at lower power settings and better airflow in cruise. So something odd here with just high temp in cruise followed by "I'm about to self-destruct" transmission noises. No mention of pressure, chips, but early days before maintenance records/HUMS are known.
Anything from Leonardo? Bad year for 139's, but like the 92 the type most used will have the most incidents.
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Canada
There is no oil cooler fan belt on the 139. The fan is driven off a drive quill and shear shaft directly from the MGB. None the less the shaft shearing, or the fan coming apart could explain the high temp and "grinding noise". On two occasions in the past 5 years I have had hums indications of oil cooler drive shaft problems requiring replacing the fan drive shaft. All in all it is to early to speculate the problem and I for one will be looking forward to learning what happened and ensuring it does not happen again.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Somewhere by the Baltic Sea
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: beneath the stars
Joined: Oct 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 7,371
Likes: 926
From: Den Haag
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 673
Likes: 1
From: On the green bit near the blue wobbly stuff
Crew actions sound to be iaw RFM. Any gearbox indications accompanied by noise and/or vibration is a "land immediately".
To continue for 4 nm to nearest point of land by comparison would be "as soon as possible" according to the definition.
To continue for 4 nm to nearest point of land by comparison would be "as soon as possible" according to the definition.
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 18,633
Likes: 1,072
From: Downeast
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 1
From: ...in view of the 'Southern Cross' ...
Mmmmm ....
Well my info comes from the 'Horses Mouth' and no mention was made of a MGB Chip light.
Yes there was increasing MGB increasing Temp indications ( and lotsa GRINDING noises) up to and until the Trans was cooled by water !!!
Happily the flight crew were 2 of the best senior captains (and personal friends of mine) in the company with many many years of experience and that paid off for them their passengers and the company ...
How about we now wait for any official notifications and investigations ... the crew did well it was the a/c that broke ... enough said.
Cheers Chaps ..
Well my info comes from the 'Horses Mouth' and no mention was made of a MGB Chip light.
Yes there was increasing MGB increasing Temp indications ( and lotsa GRINDING noises) up to and until the Trans was cooled by water !!!
Happily the flight crew were 2 of the best senior captains (and personal friends of mine) in the company with many many years of experience and that paid off for them their passengers and the company ...
How about we now wait for any official notifications and investigations ... the crew did well it was the a/c that broke ... enough said.
Cheers Chaps ..
Guest
Posts: n/a
I keep saying iz:
I believe it was a tough call..
One thing to ditch if you have nothing but ocean around you for hundreds of miles....another story when you only need to keep going for another four minutes to get feet dry..
I can imagine the thoughts and considerations running through my brain in a situation like this...
What does the manual say?
What is actually happening?
How bad is it?
Can we make it?
Tough call..
Pilots are good not bevause they do exactly whats in the manual...they are good because they take into consideration every little detail...and come to a conclusion....
At the end all that matters is that they all got out unharmed....now its wait and see until the results of the investigation will be published, so we can learn some valuable lessons...
I believe it was a tough call..
One thing to ditch if you have nothing but ocean around you for hundreds of miles....another story when you only need to keep going for another four minutes to get feet dry..
I can imagine the thoughts and considerations running through my brain in a situation like this...
What does the manual say?
What is actually happening?
How bad is it?
Can we make it?
Tough call..
Pilots are good not bevause they do exactly whats in the manual...they are good because they take into consideration every little detail...and come to a conclusion....
At the end all that matters is that they all got out unharmed....now its wait and see until the results of the investigation will be published, so we can learn some valuable lessons...
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Abroad
Mmmmm ....
Well my info comes from the 'Horses Mouth' and no mention was made of a MGB Chip light.
Yes there was increasing MGB increasing Temp indications ( and lotsa GRINDING noises) up to and until the Trans was cooled by water !!!
Happily the flight crew were 2 of the best senior captains (and personal friends of mine) in the company with many many years of experience and that paid off for them their passengers and the company ...
How about we now wait for any official notifications and investigations ... the crew did well it was the a/c that broke ... enough said.
Cheers Chaps ..
Well my info comes from the 'Horses Mouth' and no mention was made of a MGB Chip light.
Yes there was increasing MGB increasing Temp indications ( and lotsa GRINDING noises) up to and until the Trans was cooled by water !!!
Happily the flight crew were 2 of the best senior captains (and personal friends of mine) in the company with many many years of experience and that paid off for them their passengers and the company ...
How about we now wait for any official notifications and investigations ... the crew did well it was the a/c that broke ... enough said.
Cheers Chaps ..
Cheers
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,308
Likes: 0
From: Cornwall
As I say in my Day One brief on a TR, the answer to any situation in the air is:
QRH + Technical Knowledge + Airmanship = The Correct Answer
As the trained risk analyst the Captain is the one who makes the call.
G
QRH + Technical Knowledge + Airmanship = The Correct Answer
As the trained risk analyst the Captain is the one who makes the call.
G
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 5
From: abu dhabi
I came across high MGB Oil temp once. The cooler fan has an aluminium plate riveted in the housing. Two of the rivets on one side had corroded and allowed the plate to be sucked towards the impeller blocking airflow. This caused the mgb temp to rise. Fortunately, the plate could not get pulled completely into the impeller because of the remaining rivets on the opposing side preventing it. Also, the impeller has a small shear type drive shaft. If that fails the temp of the mgb will rise.
Last edited by mexmike; 2nd May 2017 at 03:19. Reason: Spelling