20080309837509A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Skrsky S-58HT · Belmont, WV · March 9, 2008

Date: March 9, 2008 · 14:40 local
Place: Belmont, WV
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: SHBL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1078T
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC08LA129
Reported as: Skrsky S58HT
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6T3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,000 total1,800 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N1078TRegistration cancelled Jun 19, 2026 · Sikorsky S-58HTS/N 581016 · Built 1958 Airframe modelSikorsky S-58HT Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3Turbo-shaft

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) The helicopter was removing equipment from the top of an operating 620' smoke stack. During the fifth of six scheduled picks and at approximately 500' AGL, the pilot reported that he encountered a high frequency vibration from the tail of the helicopter and shortly thereafter lost tail rotor authority. The pilot elected to jettison the load and make a forced landing under power. The helicopter landed in a coal pile where the main rotor blades contacted the piled coal and subsequently broke apart. The tail rotor assembly separated from the helicopter in-flight and was found approximately 600' from the location where the helicopter landed. Three of the four tail rotor blades were found intact but damaged after falling to the ground. A portion of the fourth blade consisted of only the leading edge (spar) of the blade. The aft portion of the blade was found approximately 200 feet from the tail rotor assembly and was otherwise undamaged.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE HELICOPTER WAS REMOVING EQUIPMENT FROM THE TOP OF AN OPERATING 620' SMOKE STACK. DURING THE FIFTH OF SIX SCHEDULED PICKS AND AT APPROXIMATELY 500' AGL, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION FROM THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER LOST TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY. THE PILOT ELECTED TO JETTISON THE LOAD AND MAKE A FORCED LANDING UNDER POWER. THE HELICOPTER LANDED IN A COAL PILE WHERE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE PILED COAL AND SUBSEQUENTLY BROKE APART. THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER IN-FLIGHT AND WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 600' FROM THE LOCATION WHERE THE HELICOPTER LANDED. THREE OF THE FOUR TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE FOUND INTACT BUT DAMAGED AFTER FALLING TO THE GROUND. A PORTION OF THE FOURTH BLADE CONSISTED OF ONLY THE LEADING EDGE (SPAR) OF THE BLADE. THE AFT PORTION OF THE BLADE WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND WAS OTHERWISE UNDAMAGED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC08LA129Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBelmont, WVThe fatigue failure of a tail rotor blade during an external load lift.Mar 9, 2008 · Substantial damage