BELL 407
Justin, TX — March 5, 2015
Event Information
| Date | March 5, 2015 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA15CA002 |
| Event ID | 20150309X04646 |
| Location | Justin, TX |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 33.04945, -97.29278 |
| Airport | Fort Worth Alliance Airport |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | BELL |
| Model | 407 |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
Abnormal ground contact during an autorotation demonstration, resulting in a severed tailrotor driveshaft.
Full Narrative
The helicopter instructor was demonstrating a full down 180 degree auto rotation. He reported that everything was done normally and as he flared to slow the aircraft down, the tail skid lightly bumped the ground a couple of times. The skids eventually made contact with the ground and the helicopter slid about 20 feet to a stop. A post landing examination of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor blade had contacted the tailboom, severing the tailrotor drive shaft.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.