Bell 407 N509MT accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota

Probable cause

The fatigue failure of two turbine engine blades due to vibration.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, shortly after departure, the helicopter yawed left and that he heard a "loud howling/grinding sound" emanating from the upper area of the helicopter. He subsequently reduced power and performed a minimum power descent to an open area. During the landing, the helicopter touched down hard. A postimpact examination of the engine found that two third-stage turbine wheel blades had cracked and separated due to high-cycle fatigue at the trailing edge during operation of one or more natural frequencies of the wheel. Four additional blades displayed fatigue cracks. Metallurgy examinations revealed that the blades had no evidence of material anomalies and met the material hardness and composition specifications. The observed high-cycle fatigue initiation and propagation characteristics were consistent with operating in a condition conducive to vibration. The engine manufacturer plans to release design changes that will increase the operating speed natural frequency margin and improve the vibration margin.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN12LA242 for the full record.