<![CDATA[Rotorway Forums - Mechanical Failures and Accidents]]>

<![CDATA[Rotorway Forums - Mechanical Failures and Accidents]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/ Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:14:24 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[Tail Rotor belt failure]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-79.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 16:05:57 -0600 Graeme Smith]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-79.html Just wondering if the Vee belt could be upgraded as there has been a lot of improvements in belt technology.
this came up in a google search as maybe a better belt for our application.optibelt SUPER XE-POWER PROHigh performance wedge belts - raw edge, moulded cogged]]> Just wondering if the Vee belt could be upgraded as there has been a lot of improvements in belt technology.
this came up in a google search as maybe a better belt for our application.optibelt SUPER XE-POWER PROHigh performance wedge belts - raw edge, moulded cogged]]> <![CDATA[PSA About a structural failure of my Horizontal Stabilizer]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-66.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:53:01 -0600 Claude Parent]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-66.html I am attaching a few pictures of what I found still attached to the tail boom but the right side stab was gone and luckily fell off clear of the tail rotor.
My helicopter is an older Exec 90 converted to Jet Exec. I don't know how many total hours are on the helicopter. The failure happened after I completed a tail rotor balance and was doing a few circuits after the balancing. I looked at the building plans for the Exec 90, 162 and Talon and it looks like they are all the same as far as how the horizontal stab is built and attach the the tail boom. The drawings of all three versions show there's an outer and an inner tube and the inner tube is extended inside the outer tube and is attached with the two inboard, top and bottom rivets, the left side of the stabilizer has rivets that locks the inner and outer tubes together but the right side does not have these extra rivets. What happened to my ship is that metal fatigue got the best of the outside tube and broke but without the extra (inside the tail boom rivets) my right side stabilizer was free to tall right off the tail and luckily fell clear of the tail rotor. I am posting this as a PSA so this does not happen to anyone else. I will add this on my annual inspection list to check for cracks on the outside H stab at the first two inboard rivets. I have now added rivets to the right stab spar inside the tail boom so it is not possible for the stab to slide away should the outer tube fractures. I can't figure why the left side stab has rivets to lock the inner and outer tubes and the right side does not.
Any idea what happened here?

together but the right side does not ?????]]> I am attaching a few pictures of what I found still attached to the tail boom but the right side stab was gone and luckily fell off clear of the tail rotor.
My helicopter is an older Exec 90 converted to Jet Exec. I don't know how many total hours are on the helicopter. The failure happened after I completed a tail rotor balance and was doing a few circuits after the balancing. I looked at the building plans for the Exec 90, 162 and Talon and it looks like they are all the same as far as how the horizontal stab is built and attach the the tail boom. The drawings of all three versions show there's an outer and an inner tube and the inner tube is extended inside the outer tube and is attached with the two inboard, top and bottom rivets, the left side of the stabilizer has rivets that locks the inner and outer tubes together but the right side does not have these extra rivets. What happened to my ship is that metal fatigue got the best of the outside tube and broke but without the extra (inside the tail boom rivets) my right side stabilizer was free to tall right off the tail and luckily fell clear of the tail rotor. I am posting this as a PSA so this does not happen to anyone else. I will add this on my annual inspection list to check for cracks on the outside H stab at the first two inboard rivets. I have now added rivets to the right stab spar inside the tail boom so it is not possible for the stab to slide away should the outer tube fractures. I can't figure why the left side stab has rivets to lock the inner and outer tubes and the right side does not.
Any idea what happened here?

together but the right side does not ?????]]> <![CDATA[Need Rotorway Insurance?]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-60.html Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:12:45 -0600 Jared Hartzell]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-60.html

United States

Tom Crull:
Website: http://www.transportrisk.com/rotorwayinternational.html
Email: tcrull@transportrisk.com
Phone: (720) 208-0845 or (469) 892-6222

Wendy Wenk:
Website: https://www.wenkaviation.com/services.html
Phone: (847) 235-2491

Canada

Covalen:
Website: https://covalen.ca/en/aviation_insurance_options
Phone: (450) 662-2210]]>

United States

Canada

Covalen:
Website: https://covalen.ca/en/aviation_insurance_options
Phone: (450) 662-2210]]> <![CDATA[R22 Downwash]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-35.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:39:27 -0600 Jared Hartzell]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-35.html
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]]> <![CDATA[Engine failure at 500 ft]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-34.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:31:43 -0600 Jared Hartzell]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-34.html
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]]> <![CDATA[Dynamic Rollover]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-33.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:26:02 -0600 Jared Hartzell]]> https://rotorwayforums.com/thread-33.html
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