What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 3/13/2015 at approximately 0630, the pilot and two passengers departed Merrill Field (mri) for beluga, AK. After approximately 20-30 minutes of flight, pilot felt a sudden jarring in the tail rotor pedals followed by a slow-rate yaw to the left. After performing controllability checks at various speeds, altitude changes, headings and power settings, the pilot was able to confirm that right-pedal input had no effect to aircraft yaw attitude. Pilot initiated a return to mri and advised air traffic control of the situation and intentions to perform an emergency run-on landing. Landing was cleared for runway 34 and two run-on landings were attempted before a third attempt was successful which was uneventful. Subsequent inspection of the aircraft found that the tail rotor pitch control spider part number 350A33-2030-00 had failed. The NTSB determined that this is an aircraft accident because this component failure meets the classification as substantial damage per 8900.1, vol 7, ch 1, sec 1, paras 7-4.a.1) and 7-4.a.4).
As the FAA filed it
ON 3/13/2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 0630, THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD (MRI) FOR BELUGA, AK. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, PILOT FELT A SUDDEN JARRING IN THE TAIL ROTOR PEDALS FOLLOWED BY A SLOW-RATE YAW TO THE LEFT. AFTER PERFORMING CONTROLLABILITY CHECKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALTITUDE CHANGES, HEADINGS AND POWER SETTINGS, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT RIGHT-PEDAL INPUT HAD NO EFFECT TO AIRCRAFT YAW ATTITUDE. PILOT INITIATED A RETURN TO MRI AND ADVISED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OF THE SITUATION AND INTENTIONS TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY RUN-ON LANDING. LANDING WAS CLEARED FOR RUNWAY 34 AND TWO RUN-ON LANDINGS WERE ATTEMPTED BEFORE A THIRD ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND THAT THE TAIL ROTOR PITCH CONTROL SPIDER PART NUMBER 350A33-2030-00 HAD FAILED. THE NTSB DETERMINED THAT THIS IS AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT BECAUSE THIS COMPONENT FAILURE MEETS THE CLASSIFICATION AS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE PER 8900.1, VOL 7, CH 1, SEC 1, PARAS 7-4.A.1) AND 7-4.A.4).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.