NTSB Identification: WPR12IA248
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Incident occurred Tuesday, May 22, 2012 in Seattle, WA
Aircraft: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B2, registration: N105TV
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators used data provided by various sources and may not have traveled in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft incident report.
On May 22, 2012, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Eurocopter AS-350 B2, N105TV, sustained minor damage following an in-flight separation of a tail rotor pitch change link bolt while maneuvering near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Seattle, Washington. The airline transport pilot and aerial photographer crewmember were not injured. The helicopter was registered to KING Broadcasting Company, Seattle, Washington, and operated as an electronic news gathering flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was activated for the flight that originated from Boeing Field (BFI), Seattle, Washington, about 1415. The pilot’s planned destination was Seattle Private Number One Heliport (WN01).

The pilot reported that he had just entered a slow orbit, about 1,200 feet above the ground, when the helicopter experienced what he described as a severe vibration. The vibration was continuous and so severe that the pilot diverted to BFI for landing. He reported that just before landing, with full right pedal inputs, the helicopter entered a slow turn to the left, which continued until touchdown on the taxiway.

The pilot reported that a post accident examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the tail boom assembly and support structure.

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