Bravo Zulu

Lt. Ted Lemerande held a morning brief with his students, Ens. Daniel Moran and 1stLt. Thomas Hutson, USMC, for a day VFR, basic-instrumenttraining flight. The weather was perfect for flying: a little chilly, unlimited ceilings and visibility, with high power margins because of the very low density altitude. The crew had prepositioned the TH-57C at Pensacola Regional Airport to facilitate their Saturday flight.

After the brief, preflight, and startup, the crew was cleared for takeoff from taxiway bravo, parallel to the active runway. They were to remain 500 feet or below and stay north of runway 8/26 for landing and departing traffic.

The transition to forward flight was smooth, but upon reaching 500 feet AGL, the aircrew heard a loud noise from the engine. A strong shudder went throughout the airframe. They felt a mild left yaw, which is indicative of a complete engine failure. Lt. Lemerande’s quick reflex action to keep the aircraft in balanced flight made the yaw movement barely noticeable.

Lt. Lemerande initiated NATOPS procedures for an engine failure. He entered an autorotation, while immediately banking hard right toward the runway. He intended to make a 90-degree turn and complete the autorotation to the runway or tarmac of the Pensacola Navy Flying Club. During the turn, 1stLt. Huston removed his instrument training hood to back up the instructor pilot by scanning the gauges for aggravating indications. Ens. Moran, in the back seat, called the turn clear to the right.

During the turn, Lt. Lemerande saw a passenger jet on takeoff from runway 08. He immediately wrapped up the turn even tighter to continue for 180 degrees and instead headed for the parallel taxiway. He chose to land with a tailwind, rather than precipitate a midair collision.

Lt. Lemerande fought to keep the aircraft skids pointed in the direction of the slide to keep from rolling over on landing. He smoothly brought the aircraft to a stop and remained on the paved surface of the taxiway.

The crew evacuated the aircraft and met, as briefed, at a safe distance at the 12 o’clock position from the aircraft nose and waited for the crash trucks to arrive.

The crew had faced a disastrous set of circumstances: an engine failure at

HT-28

From left to right, Ens. Daniel Moran, 1stLt. Thomas Hutson, USMC, and Lt. Ted Lemerande. Photo by Lt. Nicholas Malokofsky.

500 feet in a single-engine helicopter with a full bag of gas, and the nearest available landing site 180 degrees to the rear. Outstanding piloting skills, CRM, and situational awareness resulted in a nearly flawless autorotation and uneventful landing.

HSL-49

LCdr. Ron Finch (maintenance officer), LCdr. Stan Fisher (safety officer), and AW2 Travis Parker were conducting a post-PMI, functional check flight on Red Stinger 103. The last procedure of the day was a routine, in-flight, overwater, fuel-dump check.

The dump pump worked as expected, but when the switch was secured, the fuel valve did not close. LCdr. Finch smelled fuel even after the switch was secured. This smell alerted the crew that fuel continued to dump, only at a much slower rate than during the check. LCdr. Fisher pulled the associated circuit breakers per NATOPS, but the fuel continued to stream out of the aircraft. The dump rate slowed from about 800 pounds per minute to between 300 to 400 pounds per minute because the pump had been secured, and gravity had taken over.

Noting their fuel remaining (2,600 pounds), the current dump rate, and the distance from NAS North Island, the crew discussed their options. Because of Class B airspace and environmental restrictions, they were about 15 miles from shore. Realizing they would not make it to the beach, they began to prepare for a planned ditch. LCdr. Fisher then saw USS McClusky (FFG-41), and called for a turn toward the ship. LCdr. Finch called NAS North Island tower, declared an emergency, and told them about the situation. LCdr. Fisher contacted the ship on bridge-to-bridge CH 16, and requested emergency flight quarters. The ship was ready within two minutes.

With streaming fuel, LCdr. Finch landed on McClusky

From left, LCdr. Stan Fisher, AW2 Travis Parker, LCdr. Ron Finch.

with 900 pounds of fuel remaining. Even after shutdown, fuel continued to drain out the dump valve until it reached a level below the dump-valve opening in the fuel tank.

This Buno has an older fuel-dump system that requires power to close the valve when dumping. Post-flight investigation revealed the wire that supplied power to close the valve was broken.

The crew exercised outstanding crew-resource management during this emergency. However, without the rapid reaction, flexibility and professionalism of McClusky’s flight-deck crew, the aircrew would have been forced to ditch because of fuel starvation.

The SH-60B community never has had an emergency exactly like this, other than in the simulator. Realizing that NATOPS procedures did not eliminate the extremis situation, the crew effectively communicated and chose a different course of action to get the aircraft on the deck. Skillful decision-making and adaptability to the current conditions in the aircraft and on the flight deck saved an aircraft and possibly the lives of three naval aviators.

HSL-51

During a night, hot-refueling evolution on board USS McCampbell (DDG-85), AW2 Adam Wuest discovered a stream of fluid leaking from Warlord 716’s tail-pylon-fold hinge. Petty Officer Wuest quickly told the aircraft commander, who immediately acted to avoid a hazardous situation. After shutdown, AM2 Ian Siders, the detachment lead AM, did an indepth inspection and discovered a hairline crack in the No. 1 tailrotor-servo-hydraulic line. AW2 Wuest’s dedication and keen attention to detail during a routine hot-refueling evolution prevented the possible loss of aircraft and crew.

HT-28

Ens. Jason Patterson, USN, and Lt. Jack Souders, USCG, were returning to NAS Whiting Field after their first solo flight. With only 21 hours of instruction in the TH-57 Bell 206 JetRanger under their belts, both students were lighthearted and feeling a sense of accomplishment with homefield in sight. Unfortunately for the dual solo, they would not be landing at South Whiting Field that day.

Just three miles south of their destination, at 900 feet MSL, the airframe fuel-filter-caution light came on. This light indicates an impending bypass of the airframe fuel filter and the possibility of contaminants in the fuel line. Both students fully understood the implications associated with a clogged fuel nozzle on the single-engine TH-57B.

Rather than trying to fly the three miles to homefield over pine trees and power lines, they prudently followed the NATOPS procedure of “land as soon as possible.” They selected the most suitable site, an empty development under construction (no houses or power lines), with newly paved roads and a large cul-de-sac. Ens. Patterson stayed on the controls and entered a turn for a right base to the selected spot. Lt. Souders squawked 7700, declared an emergency to South Whiting Field tower, and broke out the pocket checklist.

The dual-solo crew landed, shut down, and returned to homefield in the recovery truck with a great story. Sound NATOPS knowledge of systems and emergency procedures, combined with solid CRM and skilled airwork, ensured a successful ending to this solo flight.

Left to right, Lt. Jack Souders and Ens. Jason Patterson.