# Tail rotor

- Type: NTSB finding section
- Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft propeller/rotor](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0104) › Tail rotor
- NTSB code: 010464
- Cases: 54
- In the probable cause: 46
- Fatal cases: 9
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010464/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010464/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010464

## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all)

- 2008: 1 / 2
- 2009: 2 / 3
- 2010: 5 / 5
- 2011: 2 / 3
- 2012: 4 / 4
- 2013: 3 / 3
- 2014: 1 / 4
- 2015: 5 / 6
- 2016: 1 / 2
- 2017: 1 / 1
- 2018: 4 / 4
- 2019: 1 / 1
- 2020: 4 / 4
- 2021: 1 / 1
- 2022: 5 / 5
- 2023: 2 / 2
- 2024: 3 / 3
- 2025: 1 / 1

## Findings

- [Tail rotor blade](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410): 31 cases, 26 in the probable cause
- [Tail rotor, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046400): 23 cases, 20 in the probable cause
- [Tail rotor head](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046420): 2 cases, 1 in the probable cause

## Defining events in these cases

- [Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338): 13 cases
- [Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333): 7 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 7 cases
- [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 5 cases
- [Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242): 4 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 3 cases
- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases
- [Airport occurrence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070): 2 cases
- [Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000): 2 cases
- [External load event (Rotorcraft)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/480): 1 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2+](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec-135-p2-plus): 3 cases
- [Bell 407](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407): 3 cases
- [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b): 3 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-mariner): 2 cases
- [Bell 430](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-430): 2 cases
- [Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1): 2 cases
- [Texas Helicopter OH-13H/M74A](https://openairdocs.org/model/texas-helicopter-oh-13h-m74a): 1 cases
- [Eurocopter EC 130 B4](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec-130-b4): 1 cases
- [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 1 cases
- [Sikorsky S-76A](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-76a): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 10 cases
- [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 5 cases
- [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 4 cases
- [Debris/dirt/foreign object](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055) (Environmental issues): 4 cases
- [Preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Repair](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015) (Personnel issues): 3 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 3 cases
- [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 3 cases
- [Tail rotor gearbox](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046520) (Aircraft): 3 cases
- [Main rotor system, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046200) (Aircraft): 3 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB WPR26LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA062), Dec 15, 2025: Bell 407 (N404LL), Las Vegas, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: Tail rotor blade impact from an unidentified object at an undetermined time.
- [NTSB CEN25LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA013), Oct 11, 2024: Rotorway Exec (N314AC), Plymouth, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of control due to the failed forward tail rotor belt as a result of the owner’s failure to follow the helicopter manufacturer’s tail rotor belt replacement recommendations.
- [NTSB WPR24LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA243), Jul 13, 2024: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (N473E), Cottonwood, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s low-speed, high-power maneuvering in high density altitude and near maximum gross weight, which resulted in an uncommanded right yaw due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and a…
- [NTSB ANC24LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA013), Feb 11, 2024: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N74868), Glacier View, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A sudden stoppage of the tail rotor for unknown reasons, which resulted in the tortional overload failure of the tail rotor driveshaft.
- [NTSB ERA23LA369](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA369), Sep 13, 2023: Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2 (N273AM), Fargo, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of the outer span of a tail rotor blade during flight as a result of localized intergranular corrosion due to a diminished protective coating at a critical location on the tail rotor…
- [NTSB CEN23LA385](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA385), Aug 27, 2023: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206 (N19BH), Hibbing, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The ground crew’s failure to secure the backpack at the landing zone (LZ), that resulted in the tail rotor impacting the backpack during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s…
- [NTSB ERA22LA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA340), Jul 27, 2022: Robinson Helicopter R22 Mariner (N42WC), Hollywood, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: Inadequate maintenance of the helicopter’s tail rotor blades, which resulted in a failure of the tail rotor drive system, and an inflight loss of yaw control from which the flight instructor was…
- [NTSB CEN22LA328](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA328), Jul 20, 2022: Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 (N228MT), Mount Vernon, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate securement of the cloth fire extinguisher cover, which resulted in it being blown off the fire extinguisher and ingested into the helicopter’s fenestron during the landing.
- [NTSB CEN22LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA258), Jun 18, 2022: Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2+ (N226SA), Waukesha, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation and subsequent ingestion of the fenestron fairing cover into the fenestron blades for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB WPR22LA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA221), Jun 17, 2022: Bell 206B (N90326), Stockton, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Tail rotor blade impact with an unidentified object, which resulted in the loss of control and subsequent rollover of the helicopter.

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted.

Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1).

NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names.

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