What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While spraying at 4 feet AGL, a vibration started then there was a pop with the loss of tail rotor thrust, as stated by the pilot. The pilot put the aircraft down. Upon landing, the main rotor severed the tail boom. (.4) on September 3, 2001, at 1610 central daylight time, a Hiller UH-12D agricultural helicopter, N2770, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of directional control near Lubbock, Texas. The helicopter was registered to the pilot and operated by aero management, inc., of olton, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from the town and country airpark airport, Lubbock, Texas, at 1515. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that while spraying a cotton field, at 4 feet AGL, he felt a vibration followed by a "pop" with a loss of tail rotor control. Subsequently, during the forced landing to the cotton field, the main rotor blades struck the tailboom separating it from the fuselage. Examination of the helicopter by the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed that a tail rotor drive shaft hanger bearing had failed, and the tail rotor drive shaft had separated.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE SPRAYING AT 4 FEET AGL, A VIBRATION STARTED THEN THERE WAS A POP WITH THE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR THRUST, AS STATED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. UPON LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2001, AT 1610 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HILLER UH-12D AGRICULTURAL HELICOPTER, N2770, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NEAR LUBBOCK, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO THE PILOT AND OPERATED BY AERO MANAGEMENT, INC., OF OLTON, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE TOWN AND COUNTRY AIRPARK AIRPORT, LUBBOCK, TEXAS, AT 1515. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT WHILE SPRAYING A COTTON FIELD, AT 4 FEET AGL, HE FELT A VIBRATION FOLLOWED BY A "POP" WITH A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. SUBSEQUENTLY, DURING THE FORCED LANDING TO THE COTTON FIELD, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAILBOOM SEPARATING IT FROM THE FUSELAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, REVEALED THAT A TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HANGER BEARING HAD FAILED, AND THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEPARATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.