Safety checks mandated for AW169 tail rotor assemblies

摘要

European safety regulators have warned of a potentially unsafe condition affecting tail rotor assemblies of Leonardo Helicopters AW169 and AW189 rotorcraft. Although this follows the fatal crash of an AW169 in Leicester, the UK on 27 October, the emergency airworthiness directive stresses the root cause of that accident "has not been identified". The Leicester crash occurred "while the helicopter was on a take-off phase at low forward speed" when "a loss of yaw control was observed". Footage of the AW169's take-off shows its pilot performing a vertical departure before the helicopter develops an uncontrollable spin and crashes to the ground.