Incident Description
A helicopter involved in training operations sustained a tail rotor strike during a hard landing. According to reports, the left cockpit door became unlatched and partially opened while the aircraft was on the downwind leg of a touch-and-go practice landing pattern. The pilot continued the approach without further incident until the door fully opened just before touchdown. As the door opened, the pilot applied aft cyclic, resulting in a harder-than-normal landing. The helicopter slid forward a short distance while maintaining alignment with the runway. Upon stopping, the pilot observed that the tail rotor had separated from the aircraft.
Pilot Account
The pilot, a commercial pilot working toward an add-on helicopter rating, stated that the left cockpit door unlatched and partially opened during the downwind leg. She continued the pattern and final approach with the door unlatched without any issues. She expected the door to fully open just prior to touchdown, which it did. As the door opened, she applied aft cyclic and felt the skids touch down harder than normal. The helicopter slid forward briefly before stopping, at which point she noticed the tail rotor had separated.
Inspection Findings
Inspection of the door latch revealed a worn latch assembly that was difficult to close properly. An examination of the runway surface showed evidence of a tail rotor or tail rotor guard strike that occurred before the main skids contacted the ground. The damage to the tail rotor was consistent with contact with the runway surface during the hard landing.