Hughes HU-369-D N5211R

Summary

On 10 September 2004 at about 16:50 local time, a Hughes HU-369-D registered N5211R, operated by Haverfield Corporation, was involved in an accident near Waynesboro, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 September 2004 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Waynesboro, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

33.0414, -82.0028

Aircraft

Hughes HU-369-D

Registration

N5211R

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Haverfield Corporation

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Augusta → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04LA181

2 people had minor injuries.

The tail rotor assembly failed due to a fatigue fracture of the input gearshaft in the tail rotor gearbox assembly, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control and subsequent collision with trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight was contracted by Georgia Power Company to complete inspections and maintenance on a number of their transmission power lines. After completing a shield wire splice procedure, both the pilot and passenger heard a "pop" in the rear of the helicopter. The helicopter began to spin "hard to the right". However, to avoid hitting the shield wire, the pilot increased the collective pitch, which accelerated the turn. After clearing the shield wire and making the second turn, the pilot reduced the throttle to slow the spin, leveled the helicopter and collided with trees in a level flight attitude. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. Examination of the helicopter revealed the main rotor blades separated, the left skid separated, the windshield broken, upward crush damage along the bottom of the fuselage aft of the skid, the tail rotor assembly separated at driveshaft, crush damage along the sides of the tail section and the horizontal stabilizer detached from the tail. The tail rotor assembly and part of the tail rotor drive shaft were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington D.C. for further examination. The Materials Lab determined that the tail rotor assembly failed due to a fatigue fracture of the input gearshaft in the tail rotor gearbox assembly. This fracture led to jamming of the gearbox and the resulting overstress fracture of the tail rotor drive shaft, which was consistent with the engine driving the shaft at the forward end with the aft end stopped.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.