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Cottonport, LA
THE PLT WAS FAMILIARIZING HIMSELF WITH THE ACFT & THE LOCAL AREA. THE PLT'S LOG BOOK SHOWED ONLY ONE HOUR OF FLT TIME LOGGED BETWEEN 9/23/81 & THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING FOR SOME TIME OVER THE CITY AT 300-400 FT AGL MAKING FIGURE 8 PATTERNS OR MANEUVERS SIMILAR TO AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING. THEY ALSO OBSERVED DEBRIS FALLINGFROM THE ACFT PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS FOUND 3 BLOCKS FROM THE WRECKAGE & WAS FOUND BROKEN INTO 5 PIECES APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE MAIN ROTOR (M/R) BLADES. THE TAIL BOOM WAS BROKEN INTO 30-40 PIECES. THE STATIC STOP HAD INDICATIONS OF HEAVY CONTACT WITHIN THE M/R GIMBAL. THE STOP APPEARED TO BE BENT SEVERELY WHICH INDICATED EXCESSIVE FLAPPING OF THE M/R BLADES.
THE PLT WAS FAMILIARIZING HIMSELF WITH THE ACFT & THE LOCAL AREA. THE PLT'S LOG BOOK SHOWED ONLY ONE HOUR OF FLT TIME LOGGED BETWEEN 9/23/81 & THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING FOR SOME TIME OVER THE CITY AT 300-400 FT AGL MAKING FIGURE 8 PATTERNS OR MANEUVERS SIMILAR TO AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING. THEY ALSO OBSERVED DEBRIS FALLINGFROM THE ACFT PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS FOUND 3 BLOCKS FROM THE WRECKAGE & WAS FOUND BROKEN INTO 5 PIECES APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE MAIN ROTOR (M/R) BLADES. THE TAIL BOOM WAS BROKEN INTO 30-40 PIECES. THE STATIC STOP HAD INDICATIONS OF HEAVY CONTACT WITHIN THE M/R GIMBAL. THE STOP APPEARED TO BE BENT SEVERELY WHICH INDICATED EXCESSIVE FLAPPING OF THE M/R BLADES.