Incident Overview
A combined flight instructor and FAR Part 135 check flight was being conducted with a pilot-in-command (PIC) and an FAA inspector serving as the check pilot. The purpose of the flight included evaluating the PIC's performance under simulated emergency conditions.
Flight Maneuver
The check pilot instructed the PIC to execute a simulated fixed-tail rotor failure. To simulate the failure, the check pilot held the right pedal slightly in while the PIC removed his feet from the pedals. The PIC then initiated a run-on landing with an estimated 10 degrees of right yaw.
Landing Sequence
As the helicopter approached the landing area, just before touchdown at approximately 5 miles per hour and 2 feet above ground level, the helicopter began to yaw further to the right. The PIC responded by retarding the throttle to align the helicopter with the ground track and increasing the collective to cushion the landing. The helicopter touched down firmly. No anomalies with the helicopter's operation were noted at that time.
Post-Flight Inspection
After the flight, wrinkles were observed on the tail boom. The appearance of the wrinkles was similar to those depicted in Bell Operations Safety Notice (OSN) 206-84-13, which addresses damage following simulated or actual tail rotor failures.