Tail rotor failure in the Grand Canyon
I was performing sling loading operations in the Bell and was picking up my external loads from within a corral that was situated right next to an 800′, sheer cliff. On that particular hook-up, right as the loader signaled that I was good to go, and as I added power and anti-torque pedal to rise to my hover, I felt a slight jerk in my tail rotor control pedals. That’s when things began to unravel.