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Rotorcraft tail boom

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NTSB finding · Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage

All 12 cases9 in the probable cause
Cases
12
In the probable cause
9 (75%)
Fatal cases
2
NTSB code
01035302

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '01035302') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '01035302'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '01035302') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 12

NTSB WPR24LA319Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBell 206L · Fern Prairie, WAAn aeroelastic interaction between the helicopter’s main rotor blades and nodal beam system, which resulted in oscillations that exceeded the design limits of the tailboom. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the main rotor blade manufacturer to…Sep 26, 2024 · N9984K · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23LA295Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBell UH-1H · Woodlawn, ILThe separation of the tail boom from the fuselage for reasons that could not be determined.Jul 11, 2023 · N900VF · Substantial damageNTSB ANC23LA038Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAerospatiale AS350B2 · Honolulu, HIThe instructor pilot’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction, which resulted in a hard landing, and substantial damage to the tail boom.May 22, 2023 · N745RH · Substantial damageNTSB ANC22FA041Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · FieldFinal reportBell 407 · Kalea, HIThe in-flight separation of the tail boom as a result of abnormal loading and fracture of the upper-left tail boom attachment bolt due to a gap between the upper-left longeron and aft fuselage bulkhead.Jun 9, 2022 · N402SH · Substantial damageNTSB GAA15CA280Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 · West Palm Beach, FLThe flight instructor's improper use of pitch control during a demonstrated 180 degree autorotation which resulted in damage to the tail boom.Sep 22, 2015 · N44XL · Substantial damageNTSB WPR13FA411Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportBell UH 1B · Detroit, ORThe fatigue failure of the upper two tailboom attachment points, which resulted in the tailboom separating from the fuselage during logging operations. Contributing to the accident was poor maintenance throughout the helicopter’s operational life.Sep 16, 2013 · N204UH · Substantial damageNTSB DCA12FA024Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportBell 214 · Camp Bastion, Afghanistanthe overtravel of the collective sleeve, which led to a severe and sudden reduction in main rotor blade collective pitch, resulting in a loss of control of the helicopter. The reason for the collective sleeve overtravel could not be determined since much of…Jan 16, 2012 · N5748M · DestroyedNTSB CEN11LA315Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269B · Edgerton, INA loss of clearance between the tail rotor drive shaft and the tailboom bulkhead for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the overstress failure of the drive shaft.Apr 29, 2011 · N9561F · Substantial damageNTSB WPR10TA318Accident · No injuriesFinal reportBell UH-1H · Santa Barbara, CAThe failure of left tailboom upper attachment fitting as a result of fatigue.Jun 24, 2010 · N205KS · Substantial damageNTSB CEN09LA565Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell UH-1B · Arvilla, NDThe aircraft owner/mechanic/pilot's installation of an improper tail boom assembly and the resulting fatigue failure of the tail boom's attach fittings.Sep 6, 2009 · N204JB · Substantial damage
See all 12 cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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 f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '01035302'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.