On December 27, 1984, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 (registration N8126H) was involved in an aviation accident near LA Belle, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine failed due to the ingestion of a cloth shop towel into the compressor section. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter lost all engine power at low altitude, banked sharply left, and crashed. Investigation found engine failure caused by ingestion of a cloth shop towel into the compressor.
Accident Overview
A helicopter was observed flying at a low altitude when it lost all engine power. The aircraft banked sharply to the left, and the pilot lost complete control, causing the helicopter to dive into the ground. The impact and subsequent post-crash fire destroyed the helicopter.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the wreckage found no evidence of any malfunction in the helicopter's structure or flight controls prior to impact. One main rotor blade exhibited upward bending at the tip, which is indicative of coning at the moment of impact.
The engine was disassembled and examined. The teardown revealed that the engine failed due to the ingestion of a cloth shop towel into the compressor section.
Conclusion
The accident occurred because the engine failed after ingesting a cloth shop towel into its compressor section, resulting in a complete loss of engine power.
Probable cause
The engine failed due to the ingestion of a cloth shop towel into the compressor section.