Pilots of Robinson R44s should land as soon as possible if they sense unusual vibrations through the tail rotor pedals, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says.
The warning follows the July 4 crash of an R44 in Broome, Western Australia, that killed the pilot and one passenger and seriously injured the two other passengers.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood said July 28 that, after examining the wreckage as well as video from closed circuit TV, accident investigators determined that the R44’s tail rotor, tail rotor gearbox and tail assembly separated from the helicopter after takeoff. The helicopter then dropped, out of control, to the ground.
The ATSB said that a pilot who flew the helicopter two days before the accident told investigators that he felt unusual vibrations through the tail rotor pedals; the accident pilot subsequently confirmed that he also felt the vibrations, and the day before the accident, maintenance personnel conducted a dynamic tail rotor balance,…
