What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At 18:39 CST on September 28th, 2011, during reposition of aircraft N61AE, at the St. Clair, MO, airport, while at about a three-foot-hover, the pilot experienced a tail rotor anti-torque pedal seizure and landed on the end of runway 20 without futher incident. The incident investigation revealed that during a 'first time' STC installation of a Honeywell bleed-air driven environmental control system (ecs) on this aircraft, tail rotor pitch change control tubes in the "hat bin area" were removed to gain access and facilitate maintenance. After the installation of the ecs, the forward walking beam control tube and bellcrank were installed improperly. The bolt and nut were installed through the bellcrank and the control tube end was captured within the Bell crank without the bolt penetrating through the control tube. After the assembly was torqued and a cotter-key was installed, the inspection and pinch-fit of the mechanism led the mechanics to believe that the assembly was attached properly. Flight control movements and a maintenance test flight were performed with no indication that the pitch change control tube was installed improperly. The incorrect installation was the result of inadequate maintenance instructions for this 'first-time' installation. This installation was inspected by four different technicians, all of whom felt that the installation was correct. While repositioning the aircraft, with two mechanics on board, while in hover over the end of the runway, the tail rotor pitch change control tube came free from the bellcrank. The pilot was able to safely land.
As the FAA filed it
AT 18:39 CST ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2011, DURING REPOSITION OF AIRCRAFT N61AE, AT THE ST. CLAIR, MO, AIRPORT, WHILE AT ABOUT A THREE-FOOT-HOVER, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL SEIZURE AND LANDED ON THE END OF RUNWAY 20 WITHOUT FUTHER INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT DURING A 'FIRST TIME' STC INSTALLATION OF A HONEYWELL BLEED-AIR DRIVEN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM (ECS) ON THIS AIRCRAFT, TAIL ROTOR PITCH CHANGE CONTROL TUBES IN THE "HAT BIN AREA" WERE REMOVED TO GAIN ACCESS AND FACILITATE MAINTENANCE. AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF THE ECS, THE FORWARD WALKING BEAM CONTROL TUBE AND BELLCRANK WERE INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. THE BOLT AND NUT WERE INSTALLED THROUGH THE BELLCRANK AND THE CONTROL TUBE END WAS CAPTURED WITHIN THE BELL CRANK WITHOUT THE BOLT PENETRATING THROUGH THE CONTROL TUBE. AFTER THE ASSEMBLY WAS TORQUED AND A COTTER-KEY WAS INSTALLED, THE INSPECTION AND PINCH-FIT OF THE MECHANISM LED THE MECHANICS TO BELIEVE THAT THE ASSEMBLY WAS ATTACHED PROPERLY. FLIGHT CONTROL MOVEMENTS AND A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT WERE PERFORMED WITH NO INDICATION THAT THE PITCH CHANGE CONTROL TUBE WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. THE INCORRECT INSTALLATION WAS THE RESULT OF INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS 'FIRST-TIME' INSTALLATION. THIS INSTALLATION WAS INSPECTED BY FOUR DIFFERENT TECHNICIANS, ALL OF WHOM FELT THAT THE INSTALLATION WAS CORRECT. WHILE REPOSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT, WITH TWO MECHANICS ON BOARD, WHILE IN HOVER OVER THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE TAIL ROTOR PITCH CHANGE CONTROL TUBE CAME FREE FROM THE BELLCRANK. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY LAND.
Other reports on N61AE · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.