Bell UH 1H N790RJ accident near Mt. Adams, Washington

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control as he slowed the helicopter during a landing approach, which resulted in the loss of helicopter control due to the loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was conducting a public flight in the helicopter to transport two search and rescue personnel to a landing zone located in mountainous terrain at an elevation of about 7,800 ft. The pilot reported that he aborted his first approach, which was from the north, because he felt that he was using too much left pedal. On his second approach, which was from the south, the helicopter yawed right. The pilot recognized that a loss of tail rotor effectiveness was occurring. He attempted to recover control by reducing the collective and applying forward cyclic; however, the helicopter spun and impacted the ground.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that, during the landing approach, as the helicopter's airspeed dropped below effective translational lift and the pilot added power to compensate, there was insufficient left pedal to stop the resulting right yaw, and the pilot lost control of the helicopter due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR16LA142 for the full record.