20120807018389A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 214ST · Avalon, TX · August 7, 2012

Date: August 7, 2012 · 08:40 local
Place: Avalon, TX
Airport: Arlington Municipal
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N409SB
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12LA525
Reported as: Bell 214ST
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,591 total2 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N409SBRegistration cancelled Jun 25, 2015 · Bell Helicopter Textron 214STS/N 28199 · Built 1990 Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron 214ST Engine modelGE CT7 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.

Aircraft N409SB departed kgky on a flight test plan for a new rotor system to be installed in the Bell 525. The aircraft was on it's 3rd flight test. They increased speed to 120 KIAS and had just completed a 20 degree turn. A loud bang and associated yaw ocurred. The chase aircraft identified that something had departed the tail. It is believed that he they stated that the tail rotor was gone. The PIC entered an autorotation profile and landed in a nearby cotton field. No injuries for PIC or SIC. The aircraft had no fwd momentum, and very little main rotor speed as there was almost no debris from blade impact. The tail rotor assembly with most of the t/r gearbox hpousing was found about 2 miles from the crash sight. One blade was about 250 feet from the t/r hub assy/gearbox housing. The other t/r blade was about 8 feet from the t/r assy. It was discovered that one t/r counterweight was missing, and was not found.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT N409SB DEPARTED KGKY ON A FLIGHT TEST PLAN FOR A NEW ROTOR SYSTEM TO BE INSTALLED IN THE BELL 525. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON IT'S 3RD FLIGHT TEST. THEY INCREASED SPEED TO 120 KIAS AND HAD JUST COMPLETED A 20 DEGREE TURN. A LOUD BANG AND ASSOCIATED YAW OCURRED. THE CHASE AIRCRAFT IDENTIFIED THAT SOMETHING HAD DEPARTED THE TAIL. IT IS BELIEVED THAT HE THEY STATED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR WAS GONE. THE PIC ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION PROFILE AND LANDED IN A NEARBY COTTON FIELD. NO INJURIES FOR PIC OR SIC. THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO FWD MOMENTUM, AND VERY LITTLE MAIN ROTOR SPEED AS THERE WAS ALMOST NO DEBRIS FROM BLADE IMPACT. THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY WITH MOST OF THE T/R GEARBOX HPOUSING WAS FOUND ABOUT 2 MILES FROM THE CRASH SIGHT. ONE BLADE WAS ABOUT 250 FEET FROM THE T/R HUB ASSY/GEARBOX HOUSING. THE OTHER T/R BLADE WAS ABOUT 8 FEET FROM THE T/R ASSY. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE T/R COUNTERWEIGHT WAS MISSING, AND WAS NOT FOUND.

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 CEN12LA525Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAvalon, TXMaintenance personnel’s failure to properly torque the retaining nut and install the cotter pin that secured the helicopter’s tail rotor counterweight bellcrank. Contributing to the accident was the lack of detailed maintenance records that documented…Aug 7, 2012 · Substantial damage