MOULTONBORO, NH, USA
N1068Y
BELL 206B III
THE BELL JET RANGER HAD JUST DROPPED OFF AN EXTERNAL LOAD AND WAS RETURNING DOWNHILL WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED HEARING A GROWLING NOISE IN THE AFT PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE AUTOROTATED TO LANDING AS CONTROL WAS LOST. WHEN THE WRECKAGE WAS EXAMINED AFTER IT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX WAS OUT OF THE AIRFRAME AND ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE WAS MISSING. EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING TAIL ROTOR STUB BY THE NTSB LAB SHOWED THE FAILURE WAS OPPOSITE THE NORMAL DIRECTION OF ROTATION. WHAT THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK WAS NOT DETERMINED. ROTATION OF THE 90 DEGREE GEARBOX REVEALED THERE WAS NO BINDING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
