TALLULAH, LA, USA
N431MS
SCHWEIZER 269C
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY FLEW THE AIRCRAFT INTO A FLOCK OF BIRDS. FOLLOWING THE BIRD STRIKE THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED SEVERE VERTICAL VIBRATIONS AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. DURING THE DESCENT AND DURING THE FLARE PRIOR TO LANDING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE FLEXED DOWN AND STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT BECOMING UNCONTROLLABLE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE.
LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO A MULTIPLE BIRD STRIKE AND INCORRECT CONTROL INPUTS BY THE PILOT IN THE FLARE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE BIRD STRIKE INDUCED VIBRATIONS AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACT WITH THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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