About 2 years ago Herman Hospital in Houston, TX lost a BK117 due to a M/R
blade loss. They were on approach, I seem to recall about 100 ft AGL, and
broke a TT strap (badly corroded). The M/R gearbox left the aircraft and all
3 souls were lost. This was the first time a blade had slung in the BO105
(same head) or BK117 history. Then I remember years ago Donald Trumps Agusta
A109 lost a blade up in NY with several of his VP's aboard. All were
killed. Then there were the M/R spindle problems with the S76 when it first
came out. Your right though, a M/R separation is very, very rare. JC

"Stan Gosnell" wrote in message
...
Curious Question wrote in
:

Stan Gosnell wrote:

It isn't survivable, just as losing a wing on an airplane isn't
survivable, except in the most unusual of circumstances.

Stan..... Do you have any idea as to how often a blade has been
thrown since the invention of the helicopter, gyro, etc.

How about in the last decade.

It's pretty seldom, I suspect about the same frequency as airplanes losing
wings. The only one I've heard of recently is a Sikorsky S76 which lost a
blade (actually the blade broke off relatively close to the head) over the
North Sea last year. All aboard were lost. The blade had been previously
hit by lightning, and this coupled with a manufacturing defect caused it
to
fail. Losing a main rotor blade on a certificated helicopter is very
rare,
unless it's in conjunction with a collision, where the blades hit
something
and subsequently fail. I fly them for a living, and losing a MR blade is
something I just don't worry about.

The NTSB, and perhaps other national aviation safety agencies, publishes
summaries of all aviation accidents in the US, going back to 1962, and
it's
searchable. You should be able to find what you're looking for there, at
least for the USA. http://www.ntsb.gov/aviation/aviation.htm

--
Regards,

Stan