Overview
Shortly after departure, a helicopter encountered a mechanical failure involving its tail rotor system. The event occurred approximately 12 seconds after takeoff as the aircraft was climbing through 400 feet above ground level.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, the flight proceeded normally until a loud bang was heard, immediately followed by severe vibration. The source indicates that the tail rotor paddle separation occurred, with the yellow paddle blade failing first, followed by the red blade. The pilot executed a precautionary landing, which was completed without further incident.
Inspection Findings
Post-flight inspection revealed that the complete paddle spar had failed and separated from the assembly. There was no evidence of a bird strike or foreign object debris (FOD) damage. The flight was the first operation following the installation of the tail rotor blade assembly.