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Passenger’s cell phone strikes tail rotor

By NTSB · November 27, 2020 ·

The pilot reported that, before the helicopter tour flight in Lihue, Hawaii, he briefed the passengers, but they still attempted to take cell phones onboard without cases. He then gave the passengers cases and attached them to their wrists.

During the flight, while the helicopter was flying about 100 knots, the right-side passenger held her cell phone and case outside of the cabin into the airflow, which resulted in the cell phone and case without the strap exiting the helicopter and hitting the tail rotor.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause: The passenger’s improper decision to hold her cell phone outside the helicopter, which resulted in it departing the helicopter and striking the tail rotor.

NTSB Identification: GAA19CA066

This November 2018 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in the other modes of transportation, including railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. It determines the probable causes of accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

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Comments

  1. John says

    November 30, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    Regardless, why issue cases to passengers instead of collecting the phones and checking ’em at the FBO (ON THE GROUND)? Talk about opportunities for the clueless to cause serious damage! Pardner, here in Hawaii, we got this rule: Check your phones at the door, or don’t fly. Penalty: $200 charged to your credit card. If the pilot gave passengers cases and attached ’em to their wrists… who owns the liability for both the damage to the aircraft and for causing a potentially life threatening event? It isn’t the clueless, since she evidently wasn’t briefed to “keep your extremities (hands and arms included!) inside the aircraft!”

    • Sarah A says

      November 30, 2020 at 9:54 pm

      The passengers were most likely using the phones for the camera function so if they cannot take their phones to record the sights they might just decide to spend their money elsewhere. That is probably why the pilot had cases to issue to the passengers in the first place.

  2. gbigs says

    November 30, 2020 at 6:27 am

    Anyone edit these stories for consistency? “He then gave the passengers cases and ATTACHED them to their wrists…the right-side passenger held her cell phone and case outside of the cabin… which resulted in the cell phone and case WITHOUT the strap exiting the helicopter…”

    What’s missing? How about the part where the passenger took the strap off? Is that the theme here?

    • Wylbur Wrong says

      November 30, 2020 at 7:35 am

      Gbigs you really ought to read the NTSB reports. The strap apparently detached from the case holding the phone.

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