# Accident 20080409836979A: Amtr BABYBELLE, Lakeland, FL, April 9, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2008, 12:00 local time
- Place: Lakeland, FL
- Airport: Lakeland Linder Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.9941° N, 82.0149° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9941&lon=-82.0149&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6261N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6261N-2012-01-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Tatelman Victor W BABY BELLE (registry code 05607Y7, https://openairdocs.org/model/tatelman-victor-w-baby-belle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR BABYBELLE
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 60 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI08LA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA104) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080409836979A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI08LA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA104), Apr 9, 2008: Vic Tatelman Baby Belle (N6261N), Lakeland, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the tailrotor driveshaft hanger bearing and jamming of the tailrotor.

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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