20010921032579I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Bell 206L1 · Springfield, MO · September 21, 2001

Date: September 21, 2001 · 13:00 local
Place: Springfield, MO
Phase of flight: Starting Engines
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: EVCA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N119TA
Reported as: Bell 206L1
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,500 total2,100 in this make and model73 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On engine start up, at approximately 70% N1, a loud ratcheting sound was heard coming from the tail rotor area. The pilot immediately discontinued the start and engaged the rotor brake, bringing the rotor to a complete stop. Investigation by maintenance personnel revealed that the tail rotor drive shaft had disconnected from the coupling on the splined adaptor of the tail rotor gearbox input shaft. Minor sheet metal damage to the tail rotor gearbox housing and the tail boom skin was discovered. No injuries were reported to have occurred to flight or ground personnel.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON ENGINE START UP, AT APPROXIMATELY 70% N1, A LOUD RATCHETING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE TAIL ROTOR AREA. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUED THE START AND ENGAGED THE ROTOR BRAKE, BRINGING THE ROTOR TO A COMPLETE STOP. INVESTIGATION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE COUPLING ON THE SPLINED ADAPTOR OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX INPUT SHAFT. MINOR SHEET METAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX HOUSING AND THE TAIL BOOM SKIN WAS DISCOVERED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO HAVE OCCURRED TO FLIGHT OR GROUND PERSONNEL.