What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A Bell 407 helicopter was enroute to an offshore location . At approximately three (3) minutes after takeoff on the first flight of the day, the pilot heard a "pop" which was followed by a vibration he diagnosed as emanating from the tail section of the aircraft. The pilot began a descent from cruise altitude of 1,750 and headed toward a helideck that was in the immediate vicinity. After landing and reducing the rotor RPM to idle, the pilot noted an increase in vibration, at which time he secured the engine and stopped the rotor system using the aircraft's rotor brake. Post-flight inspection revealed a missing tail rotor blade tip cap and weights associated with one tail rotor blade and damage to the tail rotor gearbox fairing.
As the FAA filed it
A BELL 407 HELICOPTER WAS ENROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE LOCATION . AT APPROXIMATELY THREE (3) MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, THE PILOT HEARD A "POP" WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A VIBRATION HE DIAGNOSED AS EMANATING FROM THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT BEGAN A DESCENT FROM CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 1,750 AND HEADED TOWARD A HELIDECK THAT WAS IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY. AFTER LANDING AND REDUCING THE ROTOR RPM TO IDLE, THE PILOT NOTED AN INCREASE IN VIBRATION, AT WHICH TIME HE SECURED THE ENGINE AND STOPPED THE ROTOR SYSTEM USING THE AIRCRAFT'S ROTOR BRAKE. POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A MISSING TAIL ROTOR BLADE TIP CAP AND WEIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE AND DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX FAIRING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N457PH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.