Longford, Australia, S76 Engine Failure at CDP
 

What happened to this thread,it was here yesterday? Are we not permitted to discuss this serious event.

It seemed to be old news and a well handled event by the crew so I deleted it.

Not as quiet as all that...
Investigation: AO-2013-124 - Engine failure involving a Sikorsky S76 helicopter, VH-EXU, near Snapper platform, Bass Strait, 11 July 2013

Only last month,and now subject of ATSB investigation.

Well your old news certainly didn't make it to the Pprune community. I've been waiting for the "old news" appearance, having a propriety interest by way of having had two of the operations (Esso - S-76C) now four (that I know of) blow em up engine failures with the Turbomeca.

it wasn't until the third failure that CASA/ATSB took interest by way of an investigation. I have the technical report should anyone be interested, as it's been removed from the ATSB web site.

It has to be remembered too, that Esso, like all large corporations, dislike having their name in the press when it relates to what may be perceived by some as bad news.

A discussion of peoples experience with the Turbomeca would be of interest.

Not just with the 1S1 engine in that op Brian, I distinctly remember seeing an Allison C30 spectacularly disintegrating on an S76A at Longford as well. I don't think they salvaged any bits off it either, it just got trashed in the scrap bin :uhoh:

Well the engine was trying to tell them some thing, having spectacularly failed a trend check, they thought they would double check the figures, during which it threw in it's claw. Actually the C30 gave very good service, only recall one catastrophic engine failure in all the years of operation.

Yep, I wrote down the trend check numbers that day as we were on the way out to Marlin platform and they were noticed to be suddenly awful compared with the previous check. Fortunately the engine kept going for another 1.2 hours and didn't blow up until the aircraft was safely on the ground back at Longford. I only saw two C30 failures in 3 years there: one a low-side governor, and this uncontained mechanical failure....

I think some people are just naturally unlucky! I spent 3500 hours on the S76A, was the second pilot endorsed in OZ in 78 & never had engine problems but I did have other problems! This was before Esso got them!:ok:

In fact I've never had any Allison fail!

Brian

It was my prerogative to delete it. It seemed to be a bit sensationalist for a well handled incident.

I have 4000 hours with the 1S1 on the A++ without so much as a murmur and on a similar cycle and # of landings operation to Esso. Maybe they are doing something different?

Industry, I am sure it is your prerogative. But there are interested people who would appreciate that your good grace might enable them to discover and discuss this one.

Australia is going to introduce PC1 and PC2 relations into RMS shortly and such incidents are very topical here. I too have been waiting to see this one on the prune and see the reaction when the story comes out.

Lastly, as I have remarked before, we would get 3000 posts criticising a pilot /crew who made a minor error or who can be publicly ridiculed but f all about a job well done and something for us all to learn about how it could be done, how it should be done, and how good some of the outcomes that a good training program can produce. This plot/crew deserve recognition and discussion and even celebration from us as professionals.

Wouldn't it be nice to point to what all those training dollars can really achieve, and why getting the right pilots with the right standards, discipline and knowledge is actually important?

What is the difference between this one and the Myanmar S76 accident? Bueller?
Apart from one thread being deleted?

BTW Longford Engine Failure may not attract as many people as "S76 OEI at TDP" and may also permit better searches and comparisons later? For your consideration turoheli.


Thread title modified: good idea!

Splot

Interesting to note, no CVR,FDR or recording of engine parameters available. Difficult to conduct a comprehensive investigation with only the testimony of the crew who were obviously under pressure at the time. As already stated, true professionalism and training will always provide the outcomes we all require.

All that hardware are installed on those Esso helicopters, so none of it was working on that aircraft on that day? Doesn't the IIDS system capture some of those parameters in memory?
And minor point, I think they call it engine failure at or after CDP down there....

Lucky Sod! Never bet your life on something named for a Woman!

There is a fulsome discussion right there. I understand at the time of the incident the copilot was the flying pilot, and was himself a rated captain.

The sim training at Esso was every two years for rated captains, but zero for copilots. Good idea?

The check and training people excelled at what they did by way of simulating a failed engine at CDP on a rig take off. Set power on one engine where by you were light on the wheels, and at a 125 foot hover pull the good engine as you rotated, so you were left with partial power you had previously set on the remaining engine to fly away. Great fun, but risky?

wrote down the trend check numbers
 

gee mate,
you are much braver than I would have been - if the trend was downwards I think I would have headed homewards to have it checked pronto !:ooh:

happy hovering

Insider - I also had an interest in the latest of four turbomeca engine blow ups there. I was thinking they might refresh or share the take off profile that has worked in Brian and Pat's fortunate outcomes. No proprietary information or conflict in sharing a safety technique..........is there?

Nothing controversial there, and still of interest. It appears to be well handled by the crew as you said. Why not leave it on public record? Nothing controversial there.

It has been interesting to read the African threads over a long time and Lu Zuckerman threads so it seems just hasty to pull down something so fresh. I am puzzled.

DD. p.s. hey abba

The four turbomeca failures I know of

BA and AC efatdp

DO and NE ef crz

BA and ?? ef thr 27

PR and ?

As I said in another post Nice work Pat!

...I know some non-TBO 1S1 engines at Esso have been pulled off airframes after borescope inspections as well.

Brian Abraham states, "Actually the C30 gave very good service, only recall one catastrophic engine failure in all the years of operation."
-------------------------------
You, sir, are extraordinarily UNINFORMED, ...

.... or perhaps new to the industry.

Our average time between engine removal the first couple of years on the S76 A was 128 hours. The C30 blew up with alarming regularity - hence the first "containment kit" - 170 pounds (4 big slabs) of unobtainium designed to deflect the blast outwards and upwards. This bit of sillyness was the Sikorsky/Allision response after a friend of mine blew one up taking out the good engine (this happened numerous times) the AC & DC electrics (junction box under the left engine) AND the TR driveshaft. His says it gets really busy when that happens - and it happened a lot more than once!