What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While in a hover, pilot was demonstrating a right pedal turn as part of the sun n fun airshow. Pilot lost tail rotor control and struck ground hard. Tail rotor blades were destroyed, tail boom suffered several strikes from tail rotor blades and sheared drive shaft near first support bearing. Post accident investigation revealed that bracket, located near first support bearing, broke free from weld causing bracket to wrap around support bearing. Support bearing stopped the rotation of drive shaft, causing the drive shaft to shear resulting in loss of tail rotor control. No injuries were reported.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE IN A HOVER, PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING A RIGHT PEDAL TURN AS PART OF THE SUN N FUN AIRSHOW. PILOT LOST TAIL ROTOR CONTROL AND STRUCK GROUND HARD. TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE DESTROYED, TAIL BOOM SUFFERED SEVERAL STRIKES FROM TAIL ROTOR BLADES AND SHEARED DRIVE SHAFT NEAR FIRST SUPPORT BEARING. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BRACKET, LOCATED NEAR FIRST SUPPORT BEARING, BROKE FREE FROM WELD CAUSING BRACKET TO WRAP AROUND SUPPORT BEARING. SUPPORT BEARING STOPPED THE ROTATION OF DRIVE SHAFT, CAUSING THE DRIVE SHAFT TO SHEAR RESULTING IN LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.