- Date
- April 21, 1987, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clarksville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N46884Bell UH-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 2, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870421060899A
- Case key
- 7414
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot lost tail rotor control in cruise flight after the tail rotor drive shaft separated. The tail rotor system had sustained previous damage about 4 years prior to this accident when, while being operated as a public use aircraft, the helicopter skidded off a portable landing pad. The aircraft records showed no maintenance or inspections since that previous damage to the tail rotor system. The public use agency had elected not to repair the tail rotor system and subsequently sold the helicopter to an aircraft dealer.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46884
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 64-14057
- Airframe hours
- 2,400
- Engine
- Lycoming T-53, 6,600 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Continental Jet Of Tenn., Inc.
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,177 total · 970 in this make and model · 4,920 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.