What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-16) On October 18, 1997, at approximately 2130 MST, Bell helicopter N47AH, while on a routine flight, the pilot reported that the aircraft yawed slightly, then the engine lost all power. The pilot autorotated to the ground and landed in a field with a light left, nose down slope. On impact with the ground, the main rotor blade struck the tail boom, just forward of the tail rotor guard, separating the rear section of the tail boom. Both main rotor blades were damaged substantially. On impact the left forward section of landing gear folded down and under the cross tube, however, the fuselage did not indicate impact with the ground. The aircraft was moved by the owner to a hangar at helena airport, helena, Montana. Potential airworthiness responsibility still under investigation regarding the engine and its operation.
As the FAA filed it
(-16) ON OCTOBER 18, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 2130 MST, BELL HELICOPTER N47AH, WHILE ON A ROUTINE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT YAWED SLIGHTLY, THEN THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO THE GROUND AND LANDED IN A FIELD WITH A LIGHT LEFT, NOSE DOWN SLOPE. ON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM, JUST FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR GUARD, SEPARATING THE REAR SECTION OF THE TAIL BOOM. BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED SUBSTANTIALLY. ON IMPACT THE LEFT FORWARD SECTION OF LANDING GEAR FOLDED DOWN AND UNDER THE CROSS TUBE, HOWEVER, THE FUSELAGE DID NOT INDICATE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED BY THE OWNER TO A HANGAR AT HELENA AIRPORT, HELENA, MONTANA. POTENTIAL AIRWORTHINESS RESPONSIBILITY STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE ENGINE AND ITS OPERATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N47AH · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.