Tail rotor part disconnected prior to Huntington Beach helicopter crash, report says

A helicopter spun out of control and crashed in Huntington Beach last month after a small control part in its tail came loose, according to a preliminary report released this week by the National Transportation Safety Board.

A tail rotor pitch link — a short connecting rod that links the helicopter’s controls to the tail rotor blades, according to the Federal Aviation Administration — had become disconnected as the aircraft approached a beachfront parking lot to land on Oct. 11, the report said. The pitch link allows the pilot to adjust the angle of the tail rotor blades using pedals in the cockpit, steering the direction of the helicopter’s nose, according to the FAA.

Witness photos and video showed the part was already loose when the helicopter began spinning to the right and struck a pedestrian bridge staircase along Pacific Coast Highway, across from the Hyatt Regency resort, the report said.

As the aircraft turned and climbed, pieces of the tail rotor assembly broke apart, including part of the gearbox, according to the report. The gearbox transfers power from the main engine to the tail rotor, the FAA says. The NTSB report said the gearbox split in half, with one section falling into the parking lot below.

A post-crash examination also found two small metal arms known as pitch horns, which attach to the tail rotor blades and help change their angle, had fractured in half, though all bolts and hardware were still secure.

The Bell 222 helicopter, registered as N222EX, had departed from Redlands and was being flown as a private, noncommercial flight by pilot Eric Nixon. The crash injured the pilot and passenger, as well as three people on the ground. Three of the five people sustained serious injuries, including a 12-year-old boy.

Weather conditions were clear with light winds and good visibility, according to the report. The helicopter was heavily damaged and remains in federal custody for further examination.

The NTSB’s investigation remains ongoing.