OpenAirDocs.org

Tail rotor, general

Open the Markdown

NTSB finding · Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor

All 23 cases20 in the probable cause
Cases
23
In the probable cause
20 (87%)
Fatal cases
4
NTSB code
01046400

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\", '01046400') 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\", '01046400'))
  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\", '01046400') 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 · 23

NTSB CEN25LA013Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRotorway Exec · Plymouth, INA 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.Oct 11, 2024 · N314AC · Substantial damageNTSB WPR24LA243Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportMcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E · Cottonwood, AZThe 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 subsequent hard landing.Jul 13, 2024 · N473E · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23LA385Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBell Helicopter Textron Canada 206 · Hibbing, MNThe 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 inadequate selection of an area at the LZ, the lack of awareness…Aug 27, 2023 · N19BH · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22LA328Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEurocopter Deutschland EC 135 · Mount Vernon, ILThe 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.Jul 20, 2022 · N228MT · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22LA258Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportEurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2+ · Waukesha, WIThe separation and subsequent ingestion of the fenestron fairing cover into the fenestron blades for undetermined reasons.Jun 18, 2022 · N226SA · Substantial damageNTSB ERA21LA357Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEnstrom F28 · Toughkenamon, PAThe pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during an out-of-ground effect hover in a gusty wind, due to loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Sep 8, 2021 · N51789 · Substantial damageNTSB WPR20LA244Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAmerican Eurocopter AS350 · Pioche, NVThe pilot’s failure to maintain altitude from terrain and subsequent loss of helicopter control due to entanglement of the external load cable with the tail rotor.Jul 29, 2020 · N755AE · DestroyedNTSB WPR20LA130Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBell UH 1H · Mesa, AZAn in-flight separation of the tail rotor gearbox from the airframe due to fatigue failure of the gearbox attachment studs, resulting in a loss of directional control and subsequent ground impact. Contributing to the accident were 1) the improper application…Apr 24, 2020 · N3276T · Substantial damageNTSB GAA18CA117Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHughes Helicopters 369 · Wrightwood, CAThe pilot’s high altitude, high gross weight landing with insufficient tail rotor thrust resulting in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Feb 1, 2018 · N618SG · Substantial damageNTSB ERA16CA160Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBell 206 · Baltimore, MDThe pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind while hovering out of ground effect, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Apr 16, 2016 · N326AC · Destroyed
See all 23 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\", '01046400'))
  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.