| Crash location | 61.672778°N, 149.402778°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Palmer, AK
61.599722°N, 149.112778°W 10.8 miles away |
| Tail number | N121MR |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 21 Apr 2012 |
| Aircraft type | Robinson Helicopter R22 Alpha |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot flew to a practice area and landed the helicopter on what the pilot thought was firm snow. As he landed, the helicopter suddenly broke through the surface, and its tailrotor struck the snow. The pilot repositioned the helicopter, and the tailrotor chip light illuminated. An inspection showed that the tailrotor driveshaft had sheared.
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a tailrotor strike.