Eurocopter A 350 crash

[Mike G]

A friend asked me to comment on this article:
http://www.adn.com/2010/03/03/1165793/ntsb-blames-chopper-crash-on-lever.html

My helicopter flying days were a long time ago but I couldn't explain why this helicopter has an "emergency range" on what seems to be the HP fuel pump lever.
Can someone explain what this emergency position is? It seems to me from the description that if you put the lever in the "emergency" position you're guaranteed to get an emergency with the turbine overspeeding and shedding the blades.

Mike G

[Arnie Madsen]

Hi Mike

I dont have the link handy but this crash was discussed on pprnune forums. It was believed that the kids backpack fell off the seat and hit the lever.

My foggy memory thinks the lever is for if one turbine was acting up you could shut it down and call for maximum performance on the remaining engine. I could be wrong so dont quote me.

pprnune tends to move threads around and mixes them together with others but if I find the link I will post it.

[brett s]

I haven't messed with that particular model, but some other types I'm familiar with have fuel control manual overrides - normally used when there's a malfunction, directly controls the engine output so there's no governing.

Bad location choice for that lever by Eurocopter & especially unguarded, also that's a single engine helicopter so the pilot would have had his hands full.

[Mike G]

Brettt
Are you saying this "fuel control manual overide" is like a manual throttle on say a Huey?
I used to fly Westland Whirlwinds and they had a manual override of the computer that held the rotor rpm constant by adjusting the throttle on the gas turbine. That just meant you had to use the manual throttle on the collective and watch your RRPM like a hawk.
This can't be the same thing because the pilot would need three hands.
Arnie if you can find anything that explains this lever I'd be very grateful.
Mike G

[brett s]

Pretty much - and having one that's not on the collective in a single pilot helicopter makes it useless IMO. They are one of the few manufacturers that does such a thing...

I have an old AS 350B2 RFM, attached is what it says on governor issues.

[bking]

Brett, you are correct that lever can be manually munipulated to control the throttle simular to the twist grip on a Bell collective( you could try to control the fuel in a runaway condition). The only problem is when you are in the OH POOP condition, when you have a single pilot and your hands are full. If there was another pilot up front chances would be better to control something like that. (probably would have never happened)

[brett s]

Yep - that's why it really needs to be on the collective in anything that doesn't require two pilots.