What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 10, 2014 about 0930 local time, pilot of a Robinson 44 helicopter, N7040U, started the aircraft with the tail rotor cover still attached, substantially damaging the helicopter.
The flight originated from a private helipad in Orlando with the purpose to conduct seightseing under an air tour operation.
The pilot preflighted the helicopter and removed custom made covers from the aircraft as passengers were waiting at a nearby location.
The pilot was instructed by the operator to start the helicopter without passengers at first and the passengers were supposed to be boarded later.
Once the pilot engaged the clutch, he noticed unusual noise and shaking from the rear, therefore he shut down the helicopter.
The tail rotor drive shaft was substantially damaged due to failure of removing the tail rotor cover before flight during the preflight inspection.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 10, 2014 ABOUT 0930 LOCAL TIME, PILOT OF A ROBINSON 44 HELICOPTER, N7040U, STARTED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE TAIL ROTOR COVER STILL ATTACHED, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE HELICOPTER.
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE HELIPAD IN ORLANDO WITH THE PURPOSE TO CONDUCT SEIGHTSEING UNDER AN AIR TOUR OPERATION.
THE PILOT PREFLIGHTED THE HELICOPTER AND REMOVED CUSTOM MADE COVERS FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS PASSENGERS WERE WAITING AT A NEARBY LOCATION.
THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE OPERATOR TO START THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT PASSENGERS AT FIRST AND THE PASSENGERS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE BOARDED LATER.
ONCE THE PILOT ENGAGED THE CLUTCH, HE NOTICED UNUSUAL NOISE AND SHAKING FROM THE REAR, THEREFORE HE SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER.
THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DUE TO FAILURE OF REMOVING THE TAIL ROTOR COVER BEFORE FLIGHT DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.