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| Start date | Reporting criterion | Title | Event description | System | LER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENS 52549 | 18 January 2017 10:45:00 | 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i) | Lost Radioactive Material | The following report was received via email: 1. The lost radioactive material consisted of one in flight blade inspection system (IBIS) pressure indicator which was installed on one CH-53E aircraft. The IBIS pressure indicator (P/N: 12210-1, S/N: 293) contained one 500 microCurie Strontium-90 source. 2. The IBIS pressure indicator was last visually accounted for prior to an aircraft flight on January 18, 2017. Much of the flight was over water and maneuvers were conducted over unpopulated woodland adjacent to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina. During the flight, nothing out of the ordinary was noted. After the flight, a post flight inspection was conducted and it was then discovered that an IBIS pressure indicator was missing. 3. The IBIS pressure indicator was discovered missing at 0545 (EST) on January 18, 2017 during a post flight inspection when the crew chief went to reinstall the IBIS pressure indicator covers. The likely location of the IBIS pressure indicator is in the water or unpopulated wooded area beneath the aircraft flight path in the New River, North Carolina region. 4. Exposure to individuals from radiation from the IBIS pressure indicator is unlikely due to its likely location in an uninhabited area. 5. Upon discovery of the missing IBIS pressure indicator, the aircraft maintenance crew at MCAS New River immediately performed an inspection of the flight line in the vicinity of the aircraft. On January 18, 2017 at approximately 1500 (EST) an extensive foreign object detection walk was conducted on the aircraft parking line. No debris associated with the missing IBIS pressure indicator was found. 6. An inspection was completed on all IBIS pressure indicators installed on aircraft associated with the MCAS New River in order to verify that the IBIS pressure indicators did not exhibit excessive wear indicating the potential for the displacement of an IBIS pressure indicator from the aircraft. MCAS New River aircraft operational and maintenance crew were re-briefed on the importance of vigilant pre-flight and post-flight aircraft inspections in order to identify potential material defects of aircraft components. THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf | ||
| ENS 50632 | 13 November 2014 05:00:00 | 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i) | Lost Sr-90 Source | During an underway replenishment in the fifth fleet area of operations, a storage box containing a CH53 helicopter blade with an in-blade inspection system (IBIS) was dropped over the side and is irretrievable due to the depth of the water. The IBIS contained a 500 microCuries Sr-90 source. The licensee has notified their NRC Project Manager (Seeley). THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |