# Incident 20110313003809I: Schweizer 269C, Orlando, FL, March 13, 2011

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 13, 2011, 14:00 local time
- Place: Orlando, FL
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: Y87S
- Location: 28.5383° N, 81.3792° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Orlando, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.5383&lon=-81.3792&mi=10
- Aircraft: N958CP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N958CP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C (registry code 8059502, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C
- Reported engine: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110313003809I

## Narrative

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

THE TAIL ROTOR TRANSMISSION DRIVEN SPLINE RETAINING NUT LOST ITS TORQUE AND BACKED OUT, CAUSING THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THE FORWARD TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT RETAINING NUT CONTACTED THE UPPER AFT BEARING OF THE DRIVE PULLEY "H"-FRAME. NORMAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE DRIVE SHAFT FORWARD RETAINING NUT AND THE BEARING IS A MINIMUM OF 0.100 INCHES.  THIS CONTACT CAUSED FAILURE OF THE BEARING GREASE SEAL ALLOWING THE LUBRICANT TO BE LOST.  THE OVERHEATED BEARING CAUSED OVERHEATING AND FRACTURE OF THE DRIVE PULLEY "H"-FRAME.  THE FORWARD PRESSURE SUBJECTED TO THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS SUFFICIENT TO BEND THE SHAFT AND ALLOW IT TO CONTACT THE RIGHT TAIL BOOM SUPPORT ATTACH BOLT CUTTING A GROOVE IN THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.  THE RESULTING VIBRATION CAUSED THE PILOT TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY OFF-AIRPORT LANDING.  TAIL ROTOR CONTROL AUTHORITY WAS MAINTAINED THOUGHOUT THE LANDING.  THE DRIVE PULLEY AFT UPPER BEARING HAD BEEN INSTALLED NEW 404 HOURS PRIOR.  THE TAIL ROTOR TRANSMISSION DRIVEN SPLINE RETAINING NUT HAD BEEN CHECKED FOR PROPER TORQUE 236 HOURS PRIOR.  THE DRIVEN SPLINE RETAINING NUT HAS NO SAFETY MECHANISM OTHER THAN TORQUE AND A PLASTIC INSERT IN THE THREADED AREA OF THE NUT.

## Other reports on N958CP (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20080229011589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080229011589A), Feb 29, 2008: Hughes 269C (N958CP), Mount Charlest, NV, Substantial damage. (-23) Helicopter, N958CP, owned by [privacy data omitted] and operated for instruction CFR 14 part 61 crashed doing pinnacle landings on the west side of the…
- [Accident 20050519009709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050519009709A), May 19, 2005: Hughes 269C (N958CP), Pueblo, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Training flt in traffic pattern for rw 26L @kpub. 1st three patterns completed successfully w/normal approach on first, and steep approach on next two.…

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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