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Atlas / NTSB / MIA92LA042

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event MIA92LA042

1991-12-11 CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, United States Airport · CLT None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TAILROTOR GROUND CLEARANCE WHILE HOVERING RESULTING IN THE TAIL STRIKING THE GROUND AND THE SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE TAILROTOR AND GEARBOX.

Factual narrative

PLT FAILED TO MAINTAIN TAIL BOOM STINGER GROUND CLEARANCE WHILE HOVERING TO LAND. DURING AN AFT MOVEMENT THE STINGER CONTACTED THE GROUND. TAILROTOR AND GEARBOX SEPARATED AND PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A HARD LANDING WAS MADE. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_MIA92LA042.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.