Accident Bell 230 N974RH, Thursday 17 March 2011

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Date:	Thursday 17 March 2011
Time:	09:00 LT
Type:	Bell 230
Owner/operator:	Republic Helicopters Inc
Registration:	N974RH
MSN:	23020
Year of manufacture:	1994
Total airframe hrs:	4205 hours
Engine model:	Allison 250-C30/G2
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	Santa Fe, TX (2TE1)
Destination airport:	Gulf of Mexico, LA (KPVT)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot was asked to reposition the helicopter on the helideck in an effort to clear a space for a helicopter that was coming in to land. During the repositioning landing, the pilot felt a high frequency vibration and the helicopter began to shudder. The pilot landed and after egressing the helicopter, discovered that a piece of tail rotor skin was lodged in the skirting; the tailrotor had impacted the safety skirting. The helicopter's tailboom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the safety skirting during the repositioning landing.

Accident investigation: