On October 28, 1991, a Bell 47D-1 (registration N925V) operated by Silver Hawk Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Rome, GA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FAILURE OF A TAIL ROTOR BLADE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a third takeoff, a flight instructor felt a thump and performed an autorotation landing in a wooded area after tail rotor components separated from the helicopter.
Incident Overview
A flight instructor and pilot were conducting traffic patterns in a helicopter. After completing two patterns, during the third takeoff for another approach, the instructor felt a thump in the airframe. He immediately initiated an autorotation and landed in a wooded area.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the helicopter revealed that the tail rotor gearbox and tail rotor assemblies were missing. According to the operator, both assemblies were recovered the following day, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was not notified of the recovery. The damaged components were subsequently examined by the operator and then destroyed.
Mechanic's Observations
A mechanic reported that one rotor blade had failed in the vicinity where Airworthiness Directive (AD) 59-05-10 applied. This AD required a daily inspection of the tail rotor blades for cracks.
Pilot's Statement
The pilot stated that an inspection of the blades had been completed prior to the flight.