Originally Posted by
wrench1
If the
NTSB report's nomenclatures are close or correct, there is one "lever" that could cause complete loss of T/R control and be associated with a scheduled inspection task. The lever (walking beam) is located in the aft hatrack area where the TR servo attaches on one end and the TR long control tube on the other. And is not visible at all once the aircraft is closed up.
That certainly would give the pilot an indication that the pedals weren't hooked up - they wouldn't be! But...
"Inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration who responded to the crash site observed one of the two bolts that secure the levers that move the tail rotor was missing, while the other bolt was loose because of a missing pin." If it was the walking beam bellcrank behind the hatrack, how could the FAA guy have seen that so readily? It will be curious to find out exactly which pieces came apart.
I can see how these things happen. I had *two* tail rotor failures during my time at PHI - driveshaft couplings came apart. Both were after maintenance had been performed and were in areas that were not preflightable (under the t/r driveshaft cover). The first happened right after the skids touched down on an offshore oil platform. Good timing, I'd say. The second one happened just after I'd lifted off to a hover in preparation for departing an oil platform. There was a bang and suddenly the world started spinning sideways. 30 seconds later and I would've been well into my takeoff. So, good timing again, I guess. Made me glad I wasn't one of those "yank and go" guys we often see.