smoke is coming from the entire overhead panel. I can’t see my nose in front of my face. I’m thinking, “How do I clear the smoke the fastest way possible?” We can’t see and we’ll asphyxiate soon.
What did you do? Sidorski: [After trying a few things], I put my hand through the little window, gave it a couple of tugs, and it snapped in half. The smoke was sucked out. Time did slow down. I was able to think, “One prob- lem at a time. Clear the smoke, then worry about the next problem.” Buhagiar: Once the smoke cleared, the rotor rpm
was still low and controllability was still sloppy. I noticed 140 PI [power index] on each engine. How does this make sense? The engines are at full speed, full power. The rotor rpm is low. The collective is against the floor. Then, the rpm recovers, but not because of anything
we did. We start climbing 1,500 to 1,700 ft. per minute, nose level. Sidorski: At 145 to 150 kt., our normal cruising
speed. Buhagiar: David brings [engine] No. 1 to idle.
Immediately, the rpm goes to 81. The rotor is going to stall, especially now at altitude. He puts it back. Nr recovers to 100%.
This is an engine mode switch, right—you’re moving it from flight to idle? Buhagiar: Yes. The engine control levers are in the ceil- ing in the 139, but we’ll get to that. We’re [6,000 ft.] over the airport. The only thing we can do is gently give it enough forward cyclic to start descending. The landing gear extension speed on the 139 is
150 kt. It’s over 180 indicated with the gear down. I [plan] to make a shallow banked spiraling descent. I don’t want to overstress this thing. It’s still going at maximum power and maximum
speed, way past Vne [the never- exceed speed]. I don’t want it coming apart.
You’re still at max speed well above Vne during descent? Sidorski:We’re hauling ass toward the ground. I have no window. We’re missing one of our display units. Three out of the four radios aren’t working. We have no transponder code. A multitude of things have gone
MARCH 2024 ROTOR 29
The day of the accident, 150 miles southeast of New Orleans, in the Mississippi Canyon area, just before the return flight of the AW139. (Photo courtesy Capts. Steve Buhagiar and David Sidorski)
WATCH how the
pilots landed the AW139 safely!
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