WEST KINGSTON, RI, USA
N9073S
ROBINSON R22
AFTER TAKING OFF FROM AN OPEN FIELD AND ESTABLISHING A CLIMB, THE LEFT PASSENGER TAIL ROTOR PEDAL RETAINING CLIP BECAME DISLODGED RESTRICTING PEDAL MOVEMENT IN THE ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER COULD MOVE THE RETAINING CLIP AS NEEDED TO ALLOW SOME TRAVEL IN THE PEDALS AND HE THOUGHT A SAFE LANDING COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. ON FINAL APPROACH HE PUSHED HIS PEDALS AND THEY ONCE AGAIN JAMMED CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT AND TILT LEFT. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN BUT CONTINUED TO TURN RIGHT AND THEN ROLLED. POST-CRASH INVESTIGATIONS ACHIEVED BY THE FAA SHOWED THAT BY APPLYING MINIMAL UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE TAIL ROTOR PEDAL, IT WOULD DISENGAGE AND ROTATE TO CAUSE MISALIGMENT.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE MALFUNCTION OF THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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