Continental Copters 47G N6356X

Summary

On 31 August 2013 at about 13:50 local time, a Continental Copters 47G registered N6356X was involved in an accident near Sandy Hook, Kentucky, United States. 2 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

31 August 2013 at 13:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Sandy Hook, Kentucky, United States

Coordinates

38.0856, -83.1303

Aircraft

Continental Copters 47G

Registration

N6356X

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1963

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Morehead → Sandy Hook

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA390

Nobody was injured.

The in-flight disengagement of the tail rotor extension shaft from the tail rotor gearbox, resulting in a loss of tail rotor control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that as he approached a pre-planned landing zone, he reduced engine power for landing. The helicopter yawed to the right, then back to the left. The helicopter yawed again, and the pilot felt unusual vibrations, so he decided to perform an autorotation. The helicopter landed hard on a gravel road and sustained substantial damage. Examination of the wreckage revealed impact damage to the aft tail boom from main rotor contact. The aft-most section of the tail rotor drive shaft was missing and was not recovered. It is likely that, during the hard landing, a main rotor blade struck the tail boom and liberated the drive shaft section. Manipulation of the tail rotor shaft input at the tail rotor gearbox revealed a lack of continuity to the tail rotor hub and blades. The tail rotor did not rotate when the universal joint, located at the forward end of the extension housing tube, was turned. Subsequent examination showed that the tail rotor gearbox was operational; however, the tail rotor extension shaft was found disconnected from the input coupling to the tail rotor gearbox. Rotational scoring inside the extension shaft housing indicated excessive play in the shaft that was present before the accident, which would have resulted in the loss of tail rotor control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.