What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Sunday, aug 18, 2024, pilot boarded Robinson R44 with intent to fly customers on a scheduled air tour. Pilot started engine and engaged the clutch as the main rotor blades turned slowly. Immediatedly, the pilot noticed "unusual vibrations in pedals," then left pedal was pushed all the way to stop on its own. Pilot couldn't center pedal so she immediately aborted the start up. It all happened "within 5 seconds," and main rotor blades moved only about a quarter turn.
A pilot from another helicopter said he heard a "loud banging noise." Upon inspection, they noticed the control rod bent and broken.
Post accident inspection found tail rotor push-pull tube assembly pn 121-17 sheared near tail rotor bellcrank assembly. Inspection inside of tailcone assembly found 1 each bolt pn NAS6604-4 not installed in tail rotor drive shaft aft flex plate pn C947-3.
As the FAA filed it
ON SUNDAY, AUG 18, 2024, PILOT BOARDED ROBINSON R44 WITH INTENT TO FLY CUSTOMERS ON A SCHEDULED AIR TOUR. PILOT STARTED ENGINE AND ENGAGED THE CLUTCH AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TURNED SLOWLY. IMMEDIATEDLY, THE PILOT NOTICED "UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS IN PEDALS," THEN LEFT PEDAL WAS PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO STOP ON ITS OWN. PILOT COULDN'T CENTER PEDAL SO SHE IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE START UP. IT ALL HAPPENED "WITHIN 5 SECONDS," AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES MOVED ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER TURN.
A PILOT FROM ANOTHER HELICOPTER SAID HE HEARD A "LOUD BANGING NOISE." UPON INSPECTION, THEY NOTICED THE CONTROL ROD BENT AND BROKEN.
POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FOUND TAIL ROTOR PUSH-PULL TUBE ASSEMBLY PN 121-17 SHEARED NEAR TAIL ROTOR BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY. INSPECTION INSIDE OF TAILCONE ASSEMBLY FOUND 1 EACH BOLT PN NAS6604-4 NOT INSTALLED IN TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT AFT FLEX PLATE PN C947-3.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.