What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Mr. James r. arnold, FAA flight test pilot, rotorcraft directorate, aircraft certification service, fort worth, Texas, 76193-0170, and captain ron mander, PIC, vice president of operations, privacy data omitted were performing flight testing, which was a type inspection authorization (certification flight tests). During this testing, the engine was cut at approximately 40-50 feet, from the runway and the aircraft descended toward the runway in a tail low altitude, resulting in a tail rotor strike. The tail motor strike, caused separation at the tail motor gearbox. No injuries to the pilots. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of this incident. No action required because of the certification process of additional equipment which places the helicopter in an experimental status.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) MR. JAMES R. ARNOLD, FAA FLIGHT TEST PILOT, ROTORCRAFT DIRECTORATE, AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION SERVICE, FORT WORTH, TEXAS, 76193-0170, AND CAPTAIN RON MANDER, PIC, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE PERFORMING FLIGHT TESTING, WHICH WAS A TYPE INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION (CERTIFICATION FLIGHT TESTS). DURING THIS TESTING, THE ENGINE WAS CUT AT APPROXIMATELY 40-50 FEET, FROM THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TOWARD THE RUNWAY IN A TAIL LOW ALTITUDE, RESULTING IN A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE. THE TAIL MOTOR STRIKE, CAUSED SEPARATION AT THE TAIL MOTOR GEARBOX. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOTS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. NO ACTION REQUIRED BECAUSE OF THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS OF ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT WHICH PLACES THE HELICOPTER IN AN EXPERIMENTAL STATUS.
Other reports on N17754 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.