What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to the pilot on September 16, 2008 at approximately 18:43 hours helicopter experienced a violent horizontal shake or wobble. The helicopter then started to descend and the main rotor blades appeared to be slowing down. The pilot then executed an auto rotation and performed an emergency landing. A subsequent inspection of the aircraft revealed that the main rotor drag brace (p/n 52120-5) failed at the inboard threaded end. Part total time 2236.9. As a result of the failed component and emergency landing, the main rotor blade contacted the aircraft tail boom causing substantial damage to the boom. The tail rotor blades struck brush at the landing site and departed the aircraft. The landing skids were spread and the transmission snubber mounts separated from the attachment locations.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 18:43 HOURS HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT HORIZONTAL SHAKE OR WOBBLE. THE HELICOPTER THEN STARTED TO DESCEND AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES APPEARED TO BE SLOWING DOWN. THE PILOT THEN EXECUTED AN AUTO ROTATION AND PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR DRAG BRACE (P/N 52120-5) FAILED AT THE INBOARD THREADED END. PART TOTAL TIME 2236.9. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILED COMPONENT AND EMERGENCY LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE AIRCRAFT TAIL BOOM CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK BRUSH AT THE LANDING SITE AND DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE LANDING SKIDS WERE SPREAD AND THE TRANSMISSION SNUBBER MOUNTS SEPARATED FROM THE ATTACHMENT LOCATIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3324F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.