# Tail rotor blade

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft propeller/rotor](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0104) › [Tail rotor](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010464) › Tail rotor blade
- NTSB code: 01046410
- Cases: 31
- In the probable cause: 26
- Fatal cases: 5
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410

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

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

## Defining events in these cases

- [Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338): 10 cases
- [Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333): 4 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 3 cases
- [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 3 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 3 cases
- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 1 cases
- [Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470): 1 cases
- [Loss of visual reference](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402): 1 cases
- [Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337): 1 cases
- [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 1 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Bell 407](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407): 3 cases
- [Bell 430](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-430): 2 cases
- [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b): 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
- [Sikorsky S-76A](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-76a): 1 cases
- [Sikorsky S-58HT](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-58ht): 1 cases
- [Sikorsky S-58JT](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-58jt): 1 cases
- [Sikorsky S-58ET](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-58et): 1 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 3 cases
- [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 3 cases
- [Tail rotor gearbox](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046520) (Aircraft): 3 cases
- [Adequacy of policy/proc](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04021015) (Organizational issues): 2 cases
- [Object/animal/substance, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000) (Environmental issues): 2 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Repair](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 2 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 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 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 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 WPR20LA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA224), Jul 17, 2020: Hiller UH 12D (N2297W), Mehama, OR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: An in-flight separation of a tail rotor blade due to fatigue cracking and overstress, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent ground impact.
- [NTSB ANC20LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA028), Mar 5, 2020: Eurocopter EC130 (N11QK), Kalapana, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of control due to the fatigue fracture of a tail rotor fenestron blade due to the geometry of the water drain hole positioning on the rib.
- [NTSB WPR19LA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA255), Sep 11, 2019: Sikorsky S58 (N1168U), Azusa, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The in-flight separation of a section of the tail rotor blade due to a fatigue crack, which resulted in the pilot’s forced autorotation into a field.
- [NTSB WPR19LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA028), Oct 27, 2018: Bell 430 (N430ST), Kailua, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of one of the tail rotors blades’ root enclosures due to improper repair.
- [NTSB WPR18LA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA221), Aug 8, 2018: Hughes 369 (N369MH), Honolulu, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The operator's improper installation of the tail rotor (TR) teeter bearings, which resulted in cascading in-flight failures of the TR components and attach hardware.

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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