ANC83FA092

Factual narrative

THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE DURING A HARD LANDING WITH A DOOR OPEN. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT WHO IS A COMMERCIAL PILOT WORKING ON AN ADD-ON HELICOPTER RATING, THE LEFT COCKPIT DOOR UNLATCHED AND PARTIALLY OPENED ON THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR TOUCH-AND-GO PRACTICE LANDING. SHE CONTINUED THE PATTERN AND FINAL APPROACH WITH THE DOOR UNLATCHED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. SHE EXPECTED THE DOOR TO FULLY OPEN JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN WHICH IT DID. AS THE DOOR OPENED SHE APPLIED AFT CYCLIC AND FELT THE SKIDS TOUCH DOWN HARDER THAN NORMAL. THE HELICOPTER SLID FORWARD A SHORTDISTANCE WHILE REMAINING ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. WHEN THE ACFT STOPPED THE PILOT LOOKED OUT AND NOTICED THE TAIL ROTOR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. INSPECTION OF THE DOOR LATCH SHOWED A WORN LATCH ASSEMBLY WHICH WAS DIFFICULT TO CLOSE PROPERLY. INSPECTION OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE REVEALED A TAILROTOR/GUARD STRIKE PRIOR TO ACFTS MAIN SKIDS TOUCHING THE GROUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12