On July 11, 1982, a Bell 212 (registration N59572) operated by Kenai Air Alaska Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near 38 SE Barrow, AK. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a precautionary landing after hearing a screeching sound, a helicopter lost directional control and landed spinning. Investigation revealed the primary tail rotor driveshaft quill coupling failed; the female coupling lacked required overheat indicator stripes.
Accident Details
While executing a precautionary landing after hearing a screeching sound, the pilot lost directional control, and the helicopter landed while spinning.
Findings
Examination revealed that the primary tail rotor driveshaft quill coupling had failed. Specifically, the 204-040-604-5 female coupling had experienced high temperatures during operation, causing cadmium plating on exterior surfaces to begin melting. Visual overheat indicator stripes, as required by the component repair and overhaul manual, were not present on the female coupling. The 204-040-603-9 male coupling exhibited extensive heat and mechanical damage.