What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot and two medical crewmembers were on a return flight to a hospital helipad. During the approach to the helipad, the crew heard a noise outside the helicopter. The medical crewmembers
Reported they felt a "shudder", believing it to be wind as they
Approached the helipad. The pilot heard the noise, but there was no effect on the controls or flight
Characteristics. He continued the approach and landed without incident. After engine shutdown, the
On coming pilot noticed the helicopter's tail rotor drive shaft cover missing. A search of the
Surrounding area near the helicopter's approach path, located the missing cover.
An examination of the helicopter noted damage to the tail rotor (t/r) drive shaft. The t/rs were struck during the cover departure from the aircraft, leaving dents in the t/r leading edges.
The day prior to the incident, scheduled maintenance was performed on the helicopter's tail rotor
Pitch change mechanism, which required removal of the drive shaft cover. The cover was reinstalled, and no problems were reported during a subsequent pre-flight inspection.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT AND TWO MEDICAL CREWMEMBERS WERE ON A RETURN FLIGHT TO A HOSPITAL HELIPAD. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE HELIPAD, THE CREW HEARD A NOISE OUTSIDE THE HELICOPTER. THE MEDICAL CREWMEMBERS
REPORTED THEY FELT A "SHUDDER", BELIEVING IT TO BE WIND AS THEY
APPROACHED THE HELIPAD. THE PILOT HEARD THE NOISE, BUT THERE WAS NO EFFECT ON THE CONTROLS OR FLIGHT
CHARACTERISTICS. HE CONTINUED THE APPROACH AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER ENGINE SHUTDOWN, THE
ON COMING PILOT NOTICED THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT COVER MISSING. A SEARCH OF THE
SURROUNDING AREA NEAR THE HELICOPTER'S APPROACH PATH, LOCATED THE MISSING COVER.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER NOTED DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR (T/R) DRIVE SHAFT. THE T/RS WERE STRUCK DURING THE COVER DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRCRAFT, LEAVING DENTS IN THE T/R LEADING EDGES.
THE DAY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR
PITCH CHANGE MECHANISM, WHICH REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE DRIVE SHAFT COVER. THE COVER WAS REINSTALLED, AND NO PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED DURING A SUBSEQUENT PRE-FLIGHT 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.