Helicopter Safety | Tail Rotor Events

Visit the General Aviation Safety Council Website

Tail Rotor Events

Details+/-

Includes..

We are currently writing up a short synopsis of this subject, check back here soon.....

Videos+/-

A Eurocopter Cougar hits its tail on the ground during a fast approach. The impact causes spline misalignment and loss of drive to the tail rotor [extracted from an email from eurocopter].

An R44 suffers LTE over the sea.
Incident Report

An RAF Wessex Suffers Tail Rotor Failure and then collides with the surface Llyn Padarn, a lake in North Wales.

AS350 Reverses into an EC-120

Camera ship suffers LTE.

Columbian police huey crash.

Enstrom 480 has a tail rotor strike onboard a ship.

Enstrom has a tail rotor failure.
From the video it looks like a stuck left pedal.

S-58 Suffers a tail rotor drive failure.

S-61 Appears to have a Tail Rotor Problem Landing on a Ship

Skycrane seems to encounter LTE.

Publications+/-

Tail Rotor Failures

Ray Prouty article from Rotor and Wing on Tail Rotor Failures.

Rotor & Wing article on LTE

A short article on LTE from Rotor & Wing Feb 2007.

IAA OAM on LTE

IAA Operations advisory Memorandum on LTE and the need to publicise its existence

NTSB Letter to the FAA re: LTE

A letter from the NTSB to the FAA asking them to provide more information about LTE.

Article on LTE from Vertical Magazine

An article from Vertical Magazine about LTE.

Unanticipated Right Yaw at low speeds

Filght Safety Foundation Article on LTE from the late 1980s. Also included is a short article on a maintenance error which caused the loss of a Whirlwind.

Flight Safety Foundation LTE Article

Flight Safety Foundation document which looks at an LTE accident in detail.

FAA Advisory Circular on LTE

The FAAs original document with description of and advice on LTE.

Mornington Sanford Aviation have the same article in a more readable format here.

Eurocopter Service Letter 1673-67-04

Eurocopter Service Letter describing LTE in clockwise rotating main rotor helicopters.

Eurocopter Service Letter 1692-67-04

Eurocopter Service Letter describing LTE in anti-clockwise rotating main rotor helicopters.

CAA FODCOM on LTE 01/2004

The CAAs official line on the history, avoidance and recovery actions upon encountering Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness. Now incorporated into CAP 768, kept here for reference only.

CAA Paper 2003/01 Helicopter Tail Rotor Failures

An incredibly detailed look at Tail Rotor Failures across a broad spectrum of helicopter types.

The prevention of future tail rotor failures by various methods is examined, and suggestions for how to deal with tail rotor failures are made.

Links To Accident Reports In Study+/-

Registration	Type	Date
G-BPIJ	B2	21 May 2009
LTE during training, instructor intervened late, aircraft rolled over.
G-YIIK	R44	21 Jul 2008
Aircraft ended up with a downwind component OGE and probably encountered LTE. Overpitched and lost control.
G-BRZG	F28	10 May 2008
Loss of yaw control. Cause undetermined, Tail Rotor had struck Tail rotor control cable, however no reason could be found for this to have happened.
G-JAMA	H269	07 Sep 2007
A/c began to rotate, tail rotor hit ground and went through canopy. Substantial damage. Minor injury to one POB. Subject to AAIB AARF investigation.
G-OBIL	R22	18 Jul 2007
Helicopter lifted slightly, rotated approx 5-6 times then tail boom struck ground. Substantial damage. No injury to one POB. Subject to AAIB AARF investigation.
G-OSJL	R44	15 Jul 2007
Robinson R44 RAVEN (11), G-OSJL, Near Maynooth, Co Kildare, 15 July 2007: Report No 2007-022
G-CODE	B206	30 Apr 2007
Rotors struck ground after helicopter was caught by gust of wind while carrying out a spot turn. Substantial damage. 2 POB - 1 minor injury. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-CHCK	S92	23 Apr 2007
Tail Rotor pivot bearing failed offshore, aircraft returned due to severe vibration.
G-CCGF	R22	10 Apr 2007
Tail rotor struck ground during hover taxi. Substantial damage. No injury to one POB. Subject to Irish AAIU investigation.
G-EKKO	R44	11 Mar 2007
Vibration on commencing hover taxi. Autorotative landing carried out. Tail rotor gearbox, rotors and fin detached. No injury to two POB. Subject to AAIB Field investigation.
G-JWFT	R22	16 Nov 2006
Whilst hover taxiing to landing point, helicopter suffered loss of tail rotor effectiveness after striking a wooden upright. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-DNHI	A109	09 Oct 2006
Tail rotor failure, followed by gearbox failure. Helicopter on fire. Extensive damage. No injuries to 1 POB. Subject to AAIB Field investigation.
G-OHSL	R22	08 Aug 2006
Tail rotor struck ground on landing. Substantial damage. No injury to one POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-VVWW	280	20 Jul 2006
Airframe vibration followed by low RPM warning and engine power loss. MAYDAY declared. Forced landing on playing field. AAIB Field investigation.
G-NEWS	B206	16 Jul 2006
During practise 'engine off' landing, tail strike protector hit ground, tail rotor gearbox detached and main rotor blades contacted vertical stabiliser. No injury to two POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-CGRI	A109	07 Apr 2006
Agusta A109S Grand, G-CGRI
G-BBHE	F28	28 Jun 2005
Horizontal stabilizer spar detached in flight and struck the tail rotor. Autorotation made into field. Substantial damage. No injuries to two POB. Irish authority investigation.
G-SYTN	R44	08 May 2005
Aircraft entered uncontrollable right yaw, struck ground and came to rest on its side. Substantial damage. No injuries to 3 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-AYMW	B206	05 Apr 2004
Aircraft entered right yaw and spiralled down to heavy ground impact. Substantial damage. 3 POB, 1 serious and 2 minor injuries. Investigation by Irish AAIU.
G-HPOL	MD902	30 Mar 2004
NOTAR Fan Damaged
G-HIMJ	A109	14 Mar 2004
Heavy landing due to tail rotor driveshaft failure. Substantial damage. No injury to 2 POB. AAIB Field investigation.
G-PLMB	AS350	29 Aug 2003
Tail rotor contacted power cables. Forced landing in field. No injury to 3 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-BAML	B206	30 May 2003
Aircraft began to yaw right and rotate before striking ground at low speed and rolling onto side. Aircraft destroyed. Minor injuries to 3 POB. AAIB Field investigation.
G-ODNH	H269	07 May 2003
Autorotative landing carried out due to severe vibration. Tail rotor teeter pivot bolt failed. AAIB Field investigation.
G-SOOC	H369	03 May 2003
UK Reportable Accident: Tail rotor struck ground due to loss of control on take-off. Substantial damage. No injuries to 4 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-BWFY	AS350	10 Apr 2003
Aerospatiale AS350B1 Ecureuil, G-BWFY
G-BVJE	AS350	23 Feb 2003
Tail rotor struck surface of loch while collecting water. Damage to tail rotor and associated gearbox. No injury to 1 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-BURI	F28	03 Oct 2002
Tailstrike during simulated engine-off landing due to collective restriction. Substantial damage. No injuries to 2 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-BOEX	R22	13 Aug 2002
Aircraft entered uncontrollable yaw/rotation in the hover and struck a parked helicopter. Aircraft destroyed. No injury to 1 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-BZOS	Gazelle	14 Jul 2002
Loss of control on take-off. Main rotor struck ground. Aircraft destroyed. No injury to 4 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-BBXO	F28	22 Jun 2002
Loss of control during spot turn. Tail rotor struck ground, aircraft pitched forward and landed heavily. No injury to 1 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-LNDS	R44	28 Mar 2002
Tail rotor contacted ground during hover turn. No injury to 2 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-BXZE	Gazelle	03 Sep 2001
Aircraft entered uncontrollable turn and crashed. Substantial damage. No injury to 1 POB. AAIB AARF investigation.
G-DCCH	BO105	20 May 2001
Tail rotor struck tree during landing. Substantial damage. Minor injuries to 3 POB.
G-UTTS	R44	05 Nov 2000
Tail rotor struck ground after aircraft lifted into hover. Substantial damage. No injury to 4 POB.
G-BYOP	R22	26 Feb 2000
A/c rolled onto side. A/c destroyed. 1 minor injury.
G-WFOX	R22	07 Jul 1999
Tail rotor struck ground on start up. Substantial damage. No injury to 1 POB.
G-USTA	A109	27 Mar 1999
Tail rotor blade failed, causing out of balance forces which led to loss of tail rotor gearbox assembly. Substantial damage. No injury to 2 POB.
G-ATBJ	S61	26 Aug 1998
Sikorsky S-61N, G-ATBJ
G-BAIB	F28	16 Jul 1998
Tail rotor struck ground during practice engine off landing. Minor damage to tail rotor. No injury to 2 POB.
G-BXRL	SCOUT	15 Jul 1998
Tail rotor struck tree during landing. Substantial damage. No injury to 3 POB.
G-BXMP	B206	07 Jul 1998
Skids contacted power cable. Forced landing. Tail rotor struck ground. Substantial damage. No injuries.
G-TECN	480	21 Mar 1998
After lifting into hover, a/c drifted rearwards, tail rotor struck gate & a/c rolled onto its side. Substantial damage, no injury.
G-HAVA	AS341	28 Jul 1997
A/c began to rotate after lift off & tail struck hangar door. A fire ensued & a/c was destroyed. 2 POB seriously injured.
G-BCHM	AS341	05 Jul 1997
Heavy landing, airframe distorted. No injury to 4 POB.
G-BRNR	H269	19 Jun 1997
Late recovery from practice autorotation allowed a/c to strike ground tail first. Substantial damage. No injury to 2 POB.
Total Found	46
Total Fatal	0

A Graph of These Accidents By Model+/-

Count Of Model

Fatal Accidents


280	1
	0
480	1
	0
A109	4
	0
AS341	2
	0
AS350	3
	0
B2	1
	0
B206	5
	0
BO105	1
	0
F28	5
	0
Gazelle	2
	0
H269	3
	0
H369	1
	0
MD902	1
	0
R22	7
	0
R44	6
	0
S61	1
	0
S92	1
	0
SCOUT	1
	0

Loading...

Source Data