Bravo Zulu - stories of aircraft accidents averted thanks to skill of pilots and crew - Brief Article

Approach, March, 2001

HS-15

Red Lion 617 launched on a post-phase FCF with Lt. Roberge as the HAC. This profile required the crew to make sure the autorotation RPM was within limits based on environmental conditions and aircraft gross weight. After the aircraft entered the autorotation, No. 2 engine Np failed to split from the building Nr. Lt. Roberge initiated a Dower recovery as No. 2 Np/Nr reached 112 percent, The H-60 FCF checklist warns pilots to initiate a power recovery in the event that Nr/Np do not split, since this condition indicated failure of the toad demand spindle cable, and will cause the affected engine to flame out due to Np overspeed. [Last year, a crew on a similar FCF missed this indication, resulting in a Class A mishap.--Ed.]

Investigation after landing revealed that the cable had separated inside the cable housing, where it could not nave been seen on preflight. The crew's sharp attention and quick reaction kept the engine from flaming out, which would have meant that the crew would have had to recover from an autorotative descent on a single engine.

Lt. Deborah J. Roberge

Lt. Bradley L. Arthur

AE1 (AW) Todd L. DuPree

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

VAW-117

Upon completion of night FCLPs at MCAS Miramar, Wallbanger 600 launched for a return to NAS Point Mugu. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, the port fire-warning light illuminated, LCdr. Gerard (the CAPC in the left seat) and Lt. Kempf executed the NATOPS procedures and shut down the left engine, but the fire light stayed on after the fire bottle had been discharged.

The crew declared an emergency and confirmed that there were no secondary indications. Lt. Kempf swapped seats with Lt. Buller, a cruise-experienced LSO and CAPC who was in the back, Lt. Rauenhorst and Lt. Kempf pulled out their pocket checklists, providing NATOPS backup and reviewing procedures for a field-arrested landing at NAS Point Mugu.

During the approach, the aircraft entered IMC at 1,000 feet. LCdr, Gerard flew the precision approach, Lt. Buller provided instrument and visual backup until he acquired the runway strobes at 250 feet AGL LCdr. Gerard acquired the runway environment at approximately 225 feet and took over visually at approximately 150 feet. His exceptional piloting abilities and the outstanding combined effort from his crew resulted in a flawless single-engine field arrestment in very poor weather.

Lt. Tim Buller

LCdr. Phil Gerard

Lt. Mark Kempf

Ltjg. Dave Rauenhorst

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

HMM-265

The crew of Dragon 14 had flown one hour and twenty minutes of a three-hour training sortie when they noticed an illuminated engine-oil-pressure light. They were doing routine single-aircraft, confined-area landings.

Capt. Moore was the aircraft commander and at the controls when the engine failed. He directed his copilot, Capt. Killmer, to conduct the immediate-action steps not requiring, control inputs for a single-engine failure. At the same time, Capt. Moore made the control inputs to get the aircraft in the flight regime for single-engine operations in a CH-46E. Sgt. Owens immediately came up to the tunnel to aid in dual concurrence and to monitor the engine and flight instruments in all the emergency steps the pilots were conducting.

Once everything was under control, the aircrew analyzed the situation and decided to make an emergency landing at the largest zone in the training area. Sgt. Owens promptly returned to the crew door to aid in locating the landing zone and clearing obstacles during the approach. While transiting across the training area, the aircraft lost all power from the No. 1 engine as it automatically shut down. The crew's efforts and knowledge of aircraft systems and emergency procedures assured a safe emergency landing.

After shutting down, Capt. Moore radioed back to the squadron ready room and told the operations duty officer about the emergency landing. The helo was recovered, repaired and returned to the hangar the following day. Investigation had revealed that a bearing had failed in the No. 1 engine, causing the engine to lose power and shut down.

This crew's actions reemphasize the importance of knowing aircraft systems and NATOPS procedures, and maintaining sound aircrew coordination. Their ability to correctly analyze the developing situation and apply emergency procedures was instrumental in preventing a mishap.

Capt. Thomas Moore

Capt. Grant Killmer

Sgt. Edward Owens

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

HC-8

During a day familiarization training flight in the United Arab Emirates the crew of Bayraider 33 started to make a single-engine-landing approach. During the approach and prior to touchdown, the No. 2 generator light illuminated. At the same time, the crew chief. AD3 Roberts, reported a fire in the aft transmission compartment. He immediately put ms Helicopter Air Breathing Device (HABD) in his mouth, reached for the nearest hand-held fire extinguisher and fought the expanding, three-foot fireball. After putting out the fire he saw a re-flash that required him to use a second extinguisher to prevent further damage to the aircraft. These actions minimized damage to vital aircraft components and allowed the remaining crew to make an uneventful landing and shutdown.