What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft experienced two subsequent momentary vibrations during cruise flight. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to investigate the vibrations. Approximately 20 to 30 feet above the ground, the aircraft experienced an uncommanded spin to the right. The pilot lowered the collective and rolled the throttle off to enter autorotation. The aircraft landed hard but remained in an upright position. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the tail rotor driveshaft bearing in the number 5 position on the tailboom sustained a catastrophic failure, and eventually resulted in the total failure of the tail rotor driveshaft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED TWO SUBSEQUENT MOMENTARY VIBRATIONS DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO INVESTIGATE THE VIBRATIONS. APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF TO ENTER AUTOROTATION. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD BUT REMAINED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT BEARING IN THE NUMBER 5 POSITION ON THE TAILBOOM SUSTAINED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, AND EVENTUALLY RESULTED IN THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT.
Other reports on N501PH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.