 CORPORAL COLIN WILLOUGHBY
On 14 June 2004, Corporal Willoughby, a journeyman avionics technician employed with 12 Air Maintenance Squadron (AMS) was performing first line maintenance on CH124417, a Sea King helicopter. During a hot refuel procedure, he noticed an irregularity in the vicinity of the main rotor head. He relayed to the aircrew the observance of a body erratically spinning around the main rotor head. The aircraft captain elected to taxi out of the hot refuel pit and disengage the main rotor head. Upon visual inspection of the area, it was discovered that a swash plate seal had become detached and was encircling the main rotor mast. The aircraft was shut down and quarantined. The main rotor head was subsequently replaced. Left undetected, the grease in the main rotor head would have escaped, causing the main rotor head to seize.
The task at hand required Corporal Willoughby's attention to be focused on the hot refuelling procedures; it is thus commendable that he noticed the snag in the main rotor head area. Corporal Willoughby's professionalism and attention to detail in an area outside of his field of expertise prevented a potential catastrophic failure of the main rotor head and averted a potentially disastrous flight occurrence that could have seriously endangered both aircrew and aircraft.
Corporal Willoughby serves with 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, 12 Wing Shearwater.
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