LAKE CHARLES, LA, USA
N850JR
C&J SONTHEIMER ROTORWAY
AFTER THE HELICOPTER LEVELED OFF FOR CRUISE, THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE BELT FAILED. THE PILOT SAID IT STARTED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, BUT THAT HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL WITH THE A 1,500 FPM RATE OF DESCENT. HE SAID THAT EACH TIME HE TRIED TO INCREASE THE MAIN ROTOR RPM, THE HELICOPTER WOULD SPIN AGAIN. AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED GROUND LEVEL, HE ADDED POWER AND INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE, AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SPIN, SO HE CHOPPED POWER TO SLOW THE SPIN, AND THEN LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE.
FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE BELT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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