Bell Helicopter Textron 206B N919AC accident near Sandersville, Georgia

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance of trees during landing, which resulted in a tail rotor contact with tree limbs and a subsequent loss of control.

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that while conducting agricultural spraying operations, he flew back to the fuel truck for fuel. He radioed his spotter and asked if the area was clear, and the spotter told him it was. He was attempting to land on a trailer when the tail rotor came into contact with some tree limbs and several tail rotor blades separated from the helicopter. The helicopter immediately lost tail rotor authority and began to yaw. The pilot then tried to move the helicopter away from the trailer and land on the ground. The tail rotor and gearbox separated from the helicopter before the pilot landed the helicopter on the ground. The helicopter’s empennage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA295 for the full record.