What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lifted off high mesa. Reported power loss. Dropped into trees. (.4) the pilot performed a preflight inspection of the helicopter for a flight from a 9,060 foot elevation. On departure, the pilot remembered the helicopter yawing nose left, and the passenger stated that the engine became quiet and the helicopter vibration seemed to stop. The pilot autorotated to the steep sloping vegetated terrain. Postimpact inspection of the engine fuel controller revealed that the pc line had disconnected from the fuel controller. The helicopter received its last annual inspection on September 18, 1997, 93 flight hours prior to the accident. The pilot reported that he had observed a jicarilla tribal member changing navigation light bulbs on the helicopter; the same individual expressed further interest in performing maintenance on the helicopter. The maintenance organization that performed the last annual inspection did not use torque paint on the pc line b-nut, which is required by the engine manufacturer but not mandated by FARS. The pilot reported that `because of the location of the pc line connection to the fuel controller, it would be difficult, during a normal preflight inspection, to determine if the pc line b-nut was properly torqued or if it was loose.'(-23) after take-off a/c climbed to about 80' & started forward. After clearing trees and power lines pilot moved the cyclic forward to gain airspeed and altitude. A/c did not respond, lost power and landed approximately 200' from point of take-off. A/c came to rest on l/h side of fuselage at a 45 degree angle to the slope of the terrain. 2 souls on board sustained minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
LIFTED OFF HIGH MESA. REPORTED POWER LOSS. DROPPED INTO TREES. (.4) THE PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER FOR A FLIGHT FROM A 9,060 FOOT ELEVATION. ON DEPARTURE, THE PILOT REMEMBERED THE HELICOPTER YAWING NOSE LEFT, AND THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE ENGINE BECAME QUIET AND THE HELICOPTER VIBRATION SEEMED TO STOP. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO THE STEEP SLOPING VEGETATED TERRAIN. POSTIMPACT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROLLER REVEALED THAT THE PC LINE HAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE FUEL CONTROLLER. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED ITS LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1997, 93 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD OBSERVED A JICARILLA TRIBAL MEMBER CHANGING NAVIGATION LIGHT BULBS ON THE HELICOPTER; THE SAME INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSED FURTHER INTEREST IN PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE HELICOPTER. THE MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION THAT PERFORMED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION DID NOT USE TORQUE PAINT ON THE PC LINE B-NUT, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER BUT NOT MANDATED BY FARS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT `BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE PC LINE CONNECTION TO THE FUEL CONTROLLER, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT, DURING A NORMAL PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, TO DETERMINE IF THE PC LINE B-NUT WAS PROPERLY TORQUED OR IF IT WAS LOOSE.'(-23) AFTER TAKE-OFF A/C CLIMBED TO ABOUT 80' & STARTED FORWARD. AFTER CLEARING TREES AND POWER LINES PILOT MOVED THE CYCLIC FORWARD TO GAIN AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE. A/C DID NOT RESPOND, LOST POWER AND LANDED APPROXIMATELY 200' FROM POINT OF TAKE-OFF. A/C CAME TO REST ON L/H SIDE OF FUSELAGE AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE SLOPE OF THE TERRAIN. 2 SOULS ON BOARD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.