What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Clutch or drive belt failed. Autoratated into parking lot. Struck a truck burned.(.4) while cruising at an altitude of 1,350 feet MSL, the pilot felt a `sudden hesitation and smelled the odor of smoke.' While `determining if a serious malfunction existed,' the helicopter experienced a loss of main rotor drive and altitude, `along with a stronger burning odor.'the pilot initiated an autorotation to a field adjacent to a school. However, prior to reaching the intended landing area, the helicopter struck a pickup truck, `flipped over, landed in the field and started on fire.' The pilot reported that prior to the flight he had adjusted the alignment of the main drive belt and engine. (-23) rotorcraft lost rotor drive and made a forced landing on the Grove high school grounds, hitting a pickup and bouncing into a practice field. Post crash fire demolished rotorcraft.
As the FAA filed it
CLUTCH OR DRIVE BELT FAILED. AUTORATATED INTO PARKING LOT. STRUCK A TRUCK BURNED.(.4) WHILE CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,350 FEET MSL, THE PILOT FELT A `SUDDEN HESITATION AND SMELLED THE ODOR OF SMOKE.' WHILE `DETERMINING IF A SERIOUS MALFUNCTION EXISTED,' THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF MAIN ROTOR DRIVE AND ALTITUDE, `ALONG WITH A STRONGER BURNING ODOR.'THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO A FIELD ADJACENT TO A SCHOOL. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO REACHING THE INTENDED LANDING AREA, THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A PICKUP TRUCK, `FLIPPED OVER, LANDED IN THE FIELD AND STARTED ON FIRE.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT HE HAD ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT OF THE MAIN DRIVE BELT AND ENGINE. (-23) ROTORCRAFT LOST ROTOR DRIVE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING ON THE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL GROUNDS, HITTING A PICKUP AND BOUNCING INTO A PRACTICE FIELD. POST CRASH FIRE DEMOLISHED ROTORCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.