Tail Rotor Accidents

[B Sousa]

Im looking for any sites where I can find pictures or information on accidents/incidents where passengers clothing, debris etc. ; caused problems with tail rotors in flight. You know the jacket through the tail rotor kind of thing.......
Thanks

[The Nr Fairy]

Bert:

1. Jacket in the tail rotor - http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/cms_resou...pdf_501547.pdf

2. Underslung load which took out the tail rotor - http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/cms_resou...pdf_502889.pdf

[coning angel]

give eagle helicopters a ring. they had someone walk into a tail rotor a few years back. might not be too keen to talk about it though.

[Ogsplash]

Have you done a search on the NTSB database using the word string function? Also, you can enquire on Australian incidents on the databse by emailing the ATSB (www.atsb.gov.au) - contact should be on the website.

I do recall a few years ago that a navy AS350 Squirrel lost a jacket out the door and think it (the jacket) hit the tail rotor (I think).

[cpt]

I know a case where a rear seat cushion flew out an open sliding door on take off with an AS 355 F "twinstar" and hit the tail rotor. This had the effect of shearing the tail rotor shaft, followed of course by a spinning crash landing.

[overpitched]

Many years ago there was a medevac from a station in the top end of W.A. using a bell 47 and a litter kit. The patient was a local native and was given a pillow for comfort and you guessed it. As the aircraft departed the native lifted his head to have a look around and the pillow went straight into the tail rotor. Last time I heard the 47 is still right where it crashed.