On July 27, 2000, a Robinson R-22 BETA (registration N888KB) operated by Gordon Jiroux was involved in an aviation accident near Phoenix, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The helicopter had a tail rotor failure. The reason for the failure is undetermined. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter experienced a tail rotor failure while increasing engine power before takeoff, prompting the pilot to shut down the aircraft. Visible damage occurred to the tail rotor and vertical stabilizer.
Incident Details
During pre-takeoff preparations, a helicopter experienced a tail rotor failure while the engine was being brought up to full power. The pilot had released the control frictions and began increasing the throttle. As power approached 95%, before engaging the governor, the aircraft began to shake uncontrollably and the antitorque pedals moved under the pilot's feet.
Pilot Response
The pilot immediately reduced the throttle to idle, retrieved the checklist, and shut down the aircraft according to the instructions. After shutdown, the pilot noted visible damage to the tail rotor and vertical stabilizer.
Damage
The tail rotor and vertical stabilizer sustained visible damage as a result of the failure.