N2785B
MBB BO-105
AS THE HELICOPTER WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 500 FT, THE PLT HEARD A LOUD NOISE, FELT A SEVERE VIBRATION & SAW DEBRIS FALLING IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. HE BEGAN AN AUTOROTATION & DEPLOYED THE EMERGENCY FLOATS BEFORE LANDING ON WATER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE HELICOPTER REMAINED AFLOAT & THE OCCUPANTS DEPLOYED & ENTERED A RAFT FROM WHICH THEY WERE PICKED UP ABOUT 1 HR LATER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES HAD SEPARATED & STRUCK A MAIN ROTOR BLADE. THE RESULTING IMBALANCE CAUSED THE GEARBOX TO SEPARATE & FALL IN THE WATER. THE 90 DEG GEARBOX, TAIL ROTOR HUB AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE NOT RECOVERED FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO.
FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF ONE OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THR RESULTING IMBALANCE AND VIBRATION CAUSED THE SEPARATION OF THE 90 DEGREE GEARBOX AND A PORTION OF THE VERTICAL PYLON WHICH NECESSITATED THE EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION TO THE WATER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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