CENTRALIA, WA, USA
N1161N
BELL 47G-2
THE PLT WAS MAKING A TURN AROUND MANEUVER OVER TREES BETWEEN SWATH RUNS, WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD 'POP' & LOST TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN ROTATING & THE PLT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED WHILE IT WAS ROTATING, THEN IT ROLLED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SYS REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES, AS WELLAS TORSIONAL FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE WAS FOUND.
THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS CLEARANCE OVER TREES, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT TAIL ROTOR STRIKE WITH THE TREES AND LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. THE TREES WERE A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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