Steve76,
my reading of the latest ATSB report on the failures indicates that the latest one may not come apart from "chronic abuse" as you indicate.
The report can be found
ATSB Report .
My reading indicates that corrosion started the process of fatigue and then use of the blade accelerated it. The report also says that when the ATSB tested other blades they found the same problem that may have started the failure process in the accident.
Six other R22 main rotor blades were obtained by the ATSB for the purposes of examining the adhesion between the end of the spar, the root fitting and upper and lower skins. These other blades exhibited similar disbonding, to varying extents, of the adhesive in the area of the end of the spar and the rotor blade root fitting. One example extended past the first and second bolt holes in the blade root fitting.
The ATSB then issued a recommendation (over a year ago) and it appears that the results found in the US may have been similar.
Initial findings of the examination of a sample of blades by the manufacturer revealed that these other blades exhibited similar disbonding, to varying extents, of the adhesive in the area of the end of the spar and the rotor blade root fitting to rotor blade skin attachment.
The report also indicates that there was a failure of a blade in flight in Israel.
On 29 February 2004, a R22 helicopter registered and operated in Israel crashed following the loss of a main rotor blade in flight. Both occupants received fatal injuries. Following this accident the ATSB established contact with the Israeli Ministry of Transport who were responsible for the accident investigation.
The question one must ask is how many cattle and how much abuse did the blades on the Israeli helo cop? Not much me thinks....
If this failure in NZ is anything similar to the one that the ATSB are investigating then there may be some very serious repercussions for the entire fleet coming from this.
Kicker....