20090302002519A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-4 · Galliano, LA · March 2, 2009

Date: March 2, 2009
Place: Galliano, LA
Airport: South Lafourche Leonard Miller
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: YTRA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N410RL
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09LA198
Reported as: Bell 206L4
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,292 total81 in this make and model36 in the last 90 days

N410RLRegistration cancelled Oct 7, 2020 · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4S/N 52310 · Built 2005 Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 Engine modelRolls-Royce 250 20&30 seriesTurbo-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) A mechanic had performed maintenance on the tail rotor drive shaft, to be exact, the nr 7 drive shaft and the whole gar-lock seal cover input assembly was removed to facilitate removal of the tail rotor gear box. Since the shaft bushing could not be removed to facilitate the removal of the leaking seal, the mechanic proceeded to re-install the drive shaft, he re-installed the nuts and bolts finger tight, when the new tail rotor gear box was installed, the drive shaft cowling was closed, and nobody noticed the nr 7 drive shaft was loose. A maintenance flight was performed, and no defects were found. The next day, a revenue flight was beginning, during run up, the drive shaft separated and caused substantial damage occured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) A MECHANIC HAD PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT, TO BE EXACT, THE NR 7 DRIVE SHAFT AND THE WHOLE GAR-LOCK SEAL COVER INPUT ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED TO FACILITATE REMOVAL OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. SINCE THE SHAFT BUSHING COULD NOT BE REMOVED TO FACILITATE THE REMOVAL OF THE LEAKING SEAL, THE MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO RE-INSTALL THE DRIVE SHAFT, HE RE-INSTALLED THE NUTS AND BOLTS FINGER TIGHT, WHEN THE NEW TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX WAS INSTALLED, THE DRIVE SHAFT COWLING WAS CLOSED, AND NOBODY NOTICED THE NR 7 DRIVE SHAFT WAS LOOSE. A MAINTENANCE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED, AND NO DEFECTS WERE FOUND. THE NEXT DAY, A REVENUE FLIGHT WAS BEGINNING, DURING RUN UP, THE DRIVE SHAFT SEPARATED AND CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURED.

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 CEN09LA198Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGalliano, LAThe failure of the tail rotor driveshaft and coupling during engine start due to the mechanic's failure to properly reattach the tail rotor driveshaft and coupling during maintenance.Mar 2, 2009 · Substantial damage