What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 1, 2023 at approximately 1530 hours (local), a Bell helicopter 407 was substantially damaged in an accident at the Charleston international airport (chs) in north Charleston, SC. The commercial rated pilot sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR part 91.
The aircraft had flown to sumter airport (sms) in sumter, SC for scheduled maintenance earlier in the day. After completion of the maintenance, the PIC departed sms enroute to home station at chs. The PIC reported that after about 35 minutes into the flight the aircraft started to yaw slowly to the right. He applied left pedal with no response. He stated it felt like the pedals were not attached. The PIC contacted chs tower and declared an emergency. He attempted to make a straight in run on landing to runway 15. After crossing the threshold at approximately 20 feet the aircraft started to yaw to the right. The PIC stated he reduced collective but the aircraft continued to yaw right. At this point, the PIC reduced throttle to idle and attempted to maintain a level attitude. The aircraft descended at a high rate of decent and impacted the sod to the right of the runway.
On August 2, 2023 the aircraft wreckage was examined. During inspection of the tail rotor gear box assembly a bolt was discovered missing from the lever assembly and the bottom bolt’s nut was loose and no cotter pin observed.
The aircraft and maintenance logbook were retained for further examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 1, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HOURS (LOCAL), A BELL HELICOPTER 407 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT AT THE CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CHS) IN NORTH CHARLESTON, SC. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.
THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN TO SUMTER AIRPORT (SMS) IN SUMTER, SC FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE EARLIER IN THE DAY. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE MAINTENANCE, THE PIC DEPARTED SMS ENROUTE TO HOME STATION AT CHS. THE PIC REPORTED THAT AFTER ABOUT 35 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO YAW SLOWLY TO THE RIGHT. HE APPLIED LEFT PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE. HE STATED IT FELT LIKE THE PEDALS WERE NOT ATTACHED. THE PIC CONTACTED CHS TOWER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A STRAIGHT IN RUN ON LANDING TO RUNWAY 15. AFTER CROSSING THE THRESHOLD AT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. THE PIC STATED HE REDUCED COLLECTIVE BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO YAW RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, THE PIC REDUCED THROTTLE TO IDLE AND ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AT A HIGH RATE OF DECENT AND IMPACTED THE SOD TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY.
ON AUGUST 2, 2023 THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS EXAMINED. DURING INSPECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY A BOLT WAS DISCOVERED MISSING FROM THE LEVER ASSEMBLY AND THE BOTTOM BOLT’S NUT WAS LOOSE AND NO COTTER PIN OBSERVED.
THE AIRCRAFT AND MAINTENANCE LOGBOOK WERE RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
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 N31PB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.