HELICOPTER PILOT REPORTS FUEL HOSE CAUGHT ON SKID DURING DEPARTURE FROM OIL PLATFORM.
Synopsis
HELICOPTER PILOT REPORTS FUEL HOSE CAUGHT ON SKID DURING DEPARTURE FROM OIL PLATFORM.
Narrative
IN MAY/08; I WAS PREPARING FOR MY LAST FLT OF THE DAY FROM A PLATFORM. THE WX CONDITIONS WERE AS FOLLOWS: WIND 190-210 DEGS AT 10-15 KTS; 10+ SM VISIBILITY; SKY CLR; 24 DEGS C. I WAS PARKED ON THE SE SIDE OF THE HELI DECK SBOUND 4-5 FT FROM THE EDGE. THE FUEL PIT IS LOCATED ON THE E SIDE OF THE HELI DECK NEXT TO MY L SKID (THE AFT PORTION). I PULLED THE FUEL NOZZLE FROM THE FUEL PIT; UNDER THE TAIL BOOM; TO FUEL THE ACFT (FUEL CAP ON R SIDE). I FILLED TO 550 LBS OF JET FUEL; AND PULLED THE FUEL NOZZLE BACK UNDER THE TAIL BOOM TO FUEL PIT; WHERE I REPLACED FUEL NOZZLE. I CLBED OUT OF FUEL PIT AND WALKED AROUND REAR OF ACFT AND BACK TO R SIDE TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WAS UNTIED (EG; TIE-DOWNS; BLADES). I HAD 1 PAX CLBING IN L FRONT SEAT AS I WAS PUTTING MY LIFE VEST ON AND CLBING INTO THE R (PLT) SEAT. I STARTED ACFT AND FILED A FLT PLAN WITH MY COMPANY. I PULLED INTO A 3 FT HOVER WITH 70-75% TORQUE. EVERYTHING FELT AS USUAL (CTR OF GRAVITY AND PWR). I PROCEEDED TO PULL THE COLLECTIVE UP AND ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 5% TORQUE. AS THE ACFT STARTED TO RISE; I ADDED FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE CYCLIC INTO A 10 DEG NOSE FORWARD ATTITUDE. AS I CLRED THE PLATFORM; THE NOSE YAWED R AND PITCHED UP; AS WELL AS THE ACFT SLOWING ACCELERATION SLIGHTLY. I CORRECTED WITH L PEDAL AND FORWARD CYCLIC. AT THAT MOMENT; I REALIZED THE FUEL HOSE MUST BE CAUGHT ON MY SKID. ABOUT 3 SECONDS LATER; I FELT THE FUEL HOSE BREAK LOOSE AND HEARD A 'THUD' NOISE. I CONTINUED A NORMAL CLB AND MADE A R TURN TO LAND ON THE PLATFORM FOR INSPECTION. ONCE I LANDED; I SHUT DOWN AND BOTH ME AND MY PAX EXITED THE ACFT. A FEW OTHER PEOPLE CAME UP TO THE HELI DECK FROM THE LOWER LEVEL. I THOROUGHLY INSPECTED THE ACFT AND PINPOINTED WHERE I HEARD THE 'THUD' NOISE COME FROM. AFTER THE FUEL HOSE HAD BROKEN FREE; IT HIT THE CARGO COMPARTMENT DOOR WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. JUST A LOT OF BLACK RESIDUE FROM THE FUEL HOSE. I ALSO PINPOINTED THE LOCATION THAT THE FUEL HOSE HUNG UP ON THE L SKID. AFTER BEING 100% SURE THAT THE ACFT WAS UNDAMAGED AND AIRWORTHY; I STARTED IT AND FLEW TO MY BASE WITH PAX ON BOARD -- ABOUT A 60-MIN FLT 1-WAY. THINGS I COULD DO TO AVOID THIS NEXT TIME: 1) PAY CLOSER ATTN WHEN I DO PREFLT WALKAROUNDS. 2) DO NOT EVER DRAPE HOSE OVER THE TOP OF SKIDS WHEN REFUELING. 3) SPEND MORE TIME IN A HOVER BEFORE TKOF TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING IS HUNG UP ON SKIDS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.