Bell 206B3 N267MW

Summary

On 5 September 2007 at about 19:15 local time, a Bell 206B3 registered N267MW, operated by Tiger Aviation Sales LLC, was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 September 2007 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeland, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Lakeland Linder Regional (LAL)

Coordinates

27.9889, -82.0186

Aircraft

Bell 206B3

Registration

N267MW

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Tiger Aviation Sales LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oldsmar → Lakeland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA07LA148

Nobody was injured.

The failure of company maintenance personnel to replace the tail rotor drive shafts following tail rotor blade damage in 1999, the failure of maintenance personnel to replace the tail rotor drive shafts in 2004, following their knowledge that the tail rotor blades and hub were scrapped due to tail rotor blade damage, and improper inspection and return to service by an FAA approved repair station for their failure to condemn the tail rotor drive shafts in 2004, all of which resulted in failure of the No. 5 tail rotor drive shaft during approach for landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

At the start of applying up collective for landing in the Bell 206B3 helicopter, the helicopter began an uncommanded yaw to the right due to failure of the No. 5 tail rotor driveshaft. The helicopter landed hard causing substantial damage to the fuselage structure near the left aft cross tube attach point. The forward fitting of the No.5 tail rotor drive shaft exhibited bond area separation between the splined adapter and the shaft, with subsequent rotation. Cream and green colored adhesives were noted at the seam at the aft edge of the splined adapter, and red colored compound similar to torque paint was noted in the area of the green colored adhesive. Disturbed adhesive and remnants of old clear coat was noted at the seam of the fixed coupling adapter on the aft end of the drive shaft. Disassembly inspection of the No. 5 tail rotor drive shaft driveshaft revealed rotational scoring on the outer surface of the shaft tube and inner surface of the splined adapter at the forward end of driveshaft assembly. In May 1999, the helicopter was involved in a tail rotor sudden stoppage which resulted in damage to at least one tail rotor blade, and tail rotor hub and blades being "…scrapped due to [tail rotor] sudden stoppage." The tail rotor driveshafts were not replaced at that time as required by the maintenance manual, and remained installed until 2004, when they were removed for inspection due to the occurrence in May 1999. The tail rotor drive shafts were inspected and approved for return to service in 2004, by the same facility that had scrapped the tail rotor blades in 1999, which is contrary to the maintenance manual. The driveshafts were reinstalled, and at the time of the accident, the No. 5 tail rotor driveshaft had accumulated 245.8 hours since inspection, and 4,087.4 hours since new. NTSB review of photographs of the tail rotor blades installed in May 1999, revealed evidence of buckling of the skin near the tip of both blades.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.