# Incident 20010921032579I: Bell 206L1, Springfield, MO, September 21, 2001

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 21, 2001, 13:00 local time
- Place: Springfield, MO
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EVCA
- Location: 37.2153° N, 93.2982° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Springfield, MO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2153&lon=-93.2982&mi=10
- Aircraft: N119TA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 2,100 in this make and model, 73 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010921032579I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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