Flight and Accident
The helicopter was being operated as part of an ongoing drug eradication program. According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff he felt two vibrations followed by a loud bang from the rear of the helicopter. The helicopter yawed to the right, prompting the pilot to enter an autorotation and maneuver toward a small clearing in the wooded area. During the descent, the main rotor blades struck a pine tree approximately 30 feet tall at the edge of the clearing, and the helicopter impacted the ground on its left side.
Pilot Information
A review of records from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airman's Certification Division revealed that the pilot did not hold an airman's certificate indicating a helicopter rating and could not provide evidence of helicopter training. The pilot had been issued a third-class medical certificate on September 26, 1988, and reported accumulating 39 total flight hours on his medical application.
Maintenance and Airworthiness Directive
A review of maintenance records showed that the last recorded annual inspection was completed on March 21, 2004, at an airframe total time of 5,506.2 hours. On March 13, 1980, the FAA issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 80-05-05 addressing Schweizer Helicopters Model 269 series equipped with a tail boom center support (saddle) fitting. The AD was intended to prevent fatigue failure of the tail boom center support fitting and resultant loss of the tailboom. No logbook entries indicated that the required inspections outlined in the AD had been accomplished since its issuance.
Examination Findings
Examination of the tail rotor assembly revealed that the tailboom saddle attachment was broken. Further examination showed rubbing on the tailrotor drive shaft near the broken attachment. The tailboom support fitting had fractured due to fatigue initiating at the base of a large corrosion pit on the tip surface of the forward wall. This surface, which was in direct contact with the tailboom, was only partially covered by paint and contained extensive pitting damage. After the saddle support fitting fractured, the tailboom dropped and rubbed against the tail drive shaft, fracturing it in overstress.