Feb 14, 2010
Accident
Substantial Cave Creek, AZ
Injuries5 fatal
Phase of Flight-
ConditionsVMC
OperationFAR 091
Probable Cause
The sudden and inadvertent lowering of the collective to near the lower stop, followed by a simultaneous movement of the collective back up and the cyclic control to a nearly full-aft position, which resulted in the main rotor disc diverging from its normal plane of rotation and striking the tail rotor drive shaft and culminated in a loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was absence of proper cockpit discipline from the pilot.
NTSB WPR10FA133