The King County (Washington) Sheriff’s Office Guardian 2 helicopter was damaged Sunday when it struck a rock outcropping on Mt. Adams in Yakima County.
Preliminarily it appears that the tail rotor was unable to move enough air to counteract the centrifugal force of the main rotor. This caused the aircraft to rotate about one and a half times.
The incident occurred during a search-and-rescue mission at around 8,000 feet. Two occupants received minor strains at a result of the incident and one of the two skids on the bottom of the helicopter was damaged.
Guardian 2 was assisting the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office with the search for a hiker who had fallen.
The general airworthiness of the helicopter was not affected and the pilot flew to a nearby airport in Yakima. The Sheriff’s Office notified the Federal Aviation Administration as well as the National Transportation Safety Board, who are conducting an investigation.
The helicopter is a 1970 UH-1H Huey that was recently rebuilt.
I am sorry but “The general airworthiness of the helicopter was not affected and the pilot flew to a nearby airport in Yakima. ” WAS affected! Anytimea helicopter spins 1.5 times and the tail rotor contact a hard object, the airworthiness has been AFFECTED!
Sorry but this is the real truth.
Regards
Greg from Rio de Janeiro