What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During air tour operation, aircraft developed a vibration, noise, and an
Intermittent tail rotor gearbox chip light. After a few seconds the
Vibration stopped and the chip light extinguished. Pilot proceeded to
Make a precautionary landing at a clearing referred to as forest geo.
Upon approach and deceleration, the aircraft began to yaw to the left.
The pilot was unable to stop the yaw and initiated an autorotation
Landing. As the aircraft touched down, the aircraft was still yawing and
Made contact with trees then rolled over onto its right side. Pilot shut
Down the engine and initiated an evacuation of the aircraft.
Upon inspection of the aircraft it was noted that one of the tail rotor
Blades had separated and penetrated the fenestron housing. The blade
Contacted the drive shaft resulting in severe deformation of the shaft.
The tail rotor drive shaft was sheared at the forward entrance to the
Fenestron housing.
As the FAA filed it
DURING AIR TOUR OPERATION, AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A VIBRATION, NOISE, AND AN
INTERMITTENT TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX CHIP LIGHT. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE
VIBRATION STOPPED AND THE CHIP LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. PILOT PROCEEDED TO
MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A CLEARING REFERRED TO AS FOREST GEO.
UPON APPROACH AND DECELERATION, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO YAW TO THE LEFT.
THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE YAW AND INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION
LANDING. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL YAWING AND
MADE CONTACT WITH TREES THEN ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. PILOT SHUT
DOWN THE ENGINE AND INITIATED AN EVACUATION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS NOTED THAT ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR
BLADES HAD SEPARATED AND PENETRATED THE FENESTRON HOUSING. THE BLADE
CONTACTED THE DRIVE SHAFT RESULTING IN SEVERE DEFORMATION OF THE SHAFT.
THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS SHEARED AT THE FORWARD ENTRANCE TO THE
FENESTRON HOUSING.
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 N11QK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.