Police Aviation News November 2010

Police Aviation News November 2010 15
NEW YORK: After the September 22 accident that resulted in the water landing of one of
its standard ASR Bell 412 helicopters [No 12 N412PD] in Jamaica Bay the unit grounded its
other Bell primarily because of its similarity in build standard. A suspected mechanical failure
in the accident airframe was considered potentially linked to the safety of the other. This
grounding led the New York City Police Department to reconfigure another of its seven police
helicopters for air-sea rescue missions.
The precautionary actions by the NYPD were taken two weeks in advance of the Air Service
Bulletin issued by Pratt & Whitney of Canada indicating, “It is possible that the output drive
gearshaft assembly can fracture, resulting in loss of power,” in certain models, including the
most recent air-sea rescue helicopters purchased by the NYPD. Preliminary findings indicate
the failure may have been caused by metal fatigue in its output drive gearshaft assembly,
which is housed in a combining-gear box of the helicopter. Energy generated by No.
12’s dual Pratt & Whitney engines is directed through the box to a single drive-shaft which
powers the helicopter’s rotors.
Post crash examination of the helicopter by the FAA found a 6-inch hole in the top of the
combining gear box. Damage to the helicopter included all four main rotor blades, the entire
underside of the helicopter, and the tail-boom and the tail rotor.
The NYPD took delivery of No. 12, along with a second, identical $12M Bell 412 – No. 14 –
last December. When No. 12 experienced its failure and was taken out of service because
of the damage, the Police Department, as a precaution against a similar failure of the rotor
drive system, grounded No. 14 on the same day.
A third Bell 412, christened “No. 23” in honour of the 23 NYPD officers killed in the 9/11 attacks,
but very much an open secret covert machine remained in service because it was
older build standard. Unlike the other craft No 23 is not blue and white and usually offers a
higher specification sensor fit of an Wescam MX-15 more in keeping with a surveillance
role, counterterrorism and other investigative purposes.
In service since 2002 it is reported to have flown a very modest total only a little over 1,000
hours, without incident and with no indication that it shared the problem experienced by the
newer Bell.
The NYPD’s four other helicopters are Agusta A119s, used for patrol, and are unaffected by
the grounding of the two Bell 412s.
American Eurocopter delivered another AS350B2
to the Aviation Section of the Suffolk County Police
Department last month. This is another great looking
helicopter and American Eurocopter’s Engineering
Center played a key role in the design and
completion of the interior. I have included the text
of the press release below and have attached a
photo.
In the photo are (l-r) Police Officers Gregg
Buonomo and Mike Alberico, both pilots with the
Suffolk County Police Department’s Aviation Section,
as they prepare to leave American Eurocopter’s
Grand Prairie facilities.