# NTSB investigations: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

Page 2 of 2 · 77 cases

## Cases, newest first

- [NTSB ANC13TA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13TA076.md): Bell UH-1B · Tok, AK · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Aug 8, 2013 · N70NW · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the tail rotor crosshead bearing, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control.
- [NTSB WPR13FA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA343.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Thompson Falls, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 27, 2013 · N25WH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control while operating in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB ERA13LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA314.md): Sikorsky 269C · Burnham, ME · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 3, 2013 · N888ZW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain yaw control while operating out of ground effect at a low airspeed, which resulted in the loss of tail rotor effectiveness, an uncontrolled descent, and an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the…
- [NTSB CEN13LA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA310.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · La Junta, CO · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 7, 2013 · N20Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind during low-altitude operations, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB WPR13TA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13TA205.md): Bell BHT407 · Big Fork, MT · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Apr 25, 2013 · N937GR · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control while maneuvering over mountainous terrain in strong up/downdrafts and possible mountain wave activity, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB CEN13TA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13TA165.md): Bell OH-58A · Pine Springs, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Final report · Feb 14, 2013 · N337PW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while operating in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB CEN13LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA148.md): Robinson R22 Beta II · Gillett, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 1, 2013 · N3059Q · Substantial damage
  > A loss of tail rotor effectiveness while manuevering at low altitude.
- [NTSB CEN12LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA267.md): Bell 206B · Valley Falls, KS · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 2, 2012 · N85RB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during a hover maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB ERA12LA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA282.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Farmington, CT · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 14, 2012 · N1152W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind during a high-power, low-speed downwind turn, which resulted in a loss of control due to loss of tail rotor effectiveness and settling with power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to land…
- [NTSB WPR12CA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA100.md): Schweizer 269C · Las Vegas, NV · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 11, 2012 · N20536 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for the known wind conditions during a hovering maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and directional control.
- [NTSB ERA12MA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12MA005.md): Bell 206B · New York, NY · Accident · 2 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Oct 4, 2011 · N63Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to anticipate and correct for conditions (high gross weight, low indicated airspeed, and a right downwind turn) conducive to loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE), which resulted in LTE and an uncontrolled spin. Contributing to the…
- [NTSB WPR11CA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA264.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Prescott, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 18, 2011 · N334DC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter during taxi, resulting in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and a subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA11TA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11TA318.md): Bell OH-58A · Ft. Pierce, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Final report · May 29, 2011 · N911SL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to recognize and avoid a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in a loss of control and hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA11LA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA297.md): Bell 206-L4 · Mobile Block 114CC · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 13, 2011 · N266P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s operation of the helicopter with a left, quartering headwind, resulting in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB ERA11WA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11WA215.md): Bell 205 · San Clemente, Chile · Accident · 1 fatal · Foreign investigation · Mar 24, 2011 · CC-CID · Destroyed
- [NTSB ERA10CA399](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA399.md): Schweizer 269C · Baldwin, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 4, 2010 · N6143K · Substantial damage
  > A loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a hover.
- [NTSB WPR10CA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA364.md): Bell 206 B II · Big Bear City, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 24, 2010 · N788BD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing approach.
- [NTSB CEN09LA413](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA413.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · Breckenridge, CO · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 2, 2009 · N38AZ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while maneuvering due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to monitor wind direction while operating in the "Critical Wind Azimuth Area."
- [NTSB CEN09CA394](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA394.md): Sidler Mike Rotorway · Waxahachie, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 27, 2009 · N1934 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to control his rate of descent during autorotation, which required an aggressive recovery maneuver and resulted in a sudden loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB WPR09LA144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA144.md): MD Helicopter 369D · Trona, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 7, 2009 · N501EF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control while landing in a high density altitude environment due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB ERA09CA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA120.md): Schweizer 269C · Panama City, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 31, 2008 · N36254 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's encounter with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness during an out-of-ground-effect hover.
- [NTSB SEA08LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA213.md): Bell 206B · Woods Landing-Jelm, WY · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 27, 2008 · N59611 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's encounter with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness event and his failure to maintain directional control while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident were the tailwind condition and the sloping, uneven terrain.
- [NTSB NYC08CA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA305.md): Robinson R44 II · Marathon, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 6, 2008 · N144SA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to control the helicopter while maneuvering, resulting in loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB NYC08CA252](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA252.md): Buschmann Robert E Helicycle · Stuart, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 19, 2008 · N3375C · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to take off with a known discrepancy. Contributing to the accident was spilled fuel on the drive belts.
- [NTSB NYC08LA254](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA254.md): Schweizer 269C-1 · Northumberland, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 11, 2008 · N61425 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate remedial action after an inadvertent encounter with loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB DFW08CA177](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08CA177.md): Robinson R44 II · Canyon Lake, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 5, 2008 · N804DF · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to operate inside the height velocity curve.
- [NTSB DEN08FA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08FA092.md): McDonnell Douglas Helicopter C MD 500E · Sunrise Beach, MO · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 26, 2008 · N686F · Substantial damage
  > The loss of tail rotor effectiveness and the pilot's failure to regain aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly in known adverse weather conditions and the gusty winds generated from convective outflow. Contributing to…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT e.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '242')
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/cases?page=2

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