N385AR – OMLIN ROBERT G EXEC 162F ROTORWAY – 2012-07-05 NTSB Accident Report

On July 05, 2012, a Omlin Robert G EXEC 162F ROTORWAY (N385AR) was involved in an incident near Quincy, WA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s failure to ensure that a flag attached to the landing skid was properly secured, which resulted in its in-flight separation and contact with the tail rotor.

The pilot reported that prior to departure he attached a three-foot by four-foot American flag to the landing skids of the helicopter. Following an uneventful takeoff, he climbed to an altitude of about 200 feet above ground level. Shortly thereafter, the flag disconnected from the skids and impacted the tail rotor. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a nearby field. Examination of the helicopter by the pilot revealed that about half of the tail boom and tail rotor assembly was separated. The pilot reported that prior to the flag separating, no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures existed with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR12CA294. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N385AR.