What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Eurocopter colibri EC-120B helicopter was on a ferry flight when it made an emergency landing in a field for unknown reasons and rolled over on landing, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on February 26, 1999, approximately 0910 central standard time, an Eurocopter colibri ec 120B helicopter, N122TH, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following engine power surges near Springtown, Texas. Visual meteorlogical conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 ferry flight. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the American Eurocopter corporation of grand prairie, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from grand prairie, Texas, and was en route to amarillo, Texas. Preliminary information indicates that the helicopter was at a cruise altitude of about 500 feet AGL when the engine began to surge. The pilot initiated an autorotation downward to an open field. During the landing, as the helicopter was sliding to a stop, the skids dug into the ground, nosed over, and came to rest on its left side. The pilot shut down the engine by using the emergency fuel shutoff, and exited the aircraft. According to the operator, the cockpit's wind screen was broken out, the main rotor system sustained damage, and the left horizontial stabilizer was bent. An examination of the fuel system revealed that the 100 micron fuel filter was contaiminated by a fiber substance similar to human hair. The helicopter had a total time of 22 hours. (-23)on February 26, 1999, at approximately 910 am local time, helicopter N122TH, an American Eurocopter model EC120 made an emergency landing in a field near Springtown, Texas. This helicopter is owned by American Eurocopter and the pilot was delivering it to a customer. The pilot stated that the engine was surging anf losing power. Substantial damage resulted to the helicopter during this emeregency landing, however, minor injuries were sustained to the pilot. The flight originated at the manufacturing plant located at grand prairie, Texas. Note: factory changing failed part to improved verison.
As the FAA filed it
EUROCOPTER COLIBRI EC-120B HELICOPTER WAS ON A FERRY FLIGHT WHEN IT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND ROLLED OVER ON LANDING, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 26, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 0910 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN EUROCOPTER COLIBRI EC 120B HELICOPTER, N122TH, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING ENGINE POWER SURGES NEAR SPRINGTOWN, TEXAS. VISUAL METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 FERRY FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORPORATION OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO AMARILLO, TEXAS. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATES THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 500 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION DOWNWARD TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, AS THE HELICOPTER WAS SLIDING TO A STOP, THE SKIDS DUG INTO THE GROUND, NOSED OVER, AND CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE BY USING THE EMERGENCY FUEL SHUTOFF, AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE COCKPIT'S WIND SCREEN WAS BROKEN OUT, THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM SUSTAINED DAMAGE, AND THE LEFT HORIZONTIAL STABILIZER WAS BENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE 100 MICRON FUEL FILTER WAS CONTAIMINATED BY A FIBER SUBSTANCE SIMILAR TO HUMAN HAIR. THE HELICOPTER HAD A TOTAL TIME OF 22 HOURS. (-23)ON FEBRUARY 26, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 910 AM LOCAL TIME, HELICOPTER N122TH, AN AMERICAN EUROCOPTER MODEL EC120 MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR SPRINGTOWN, TEXAS. THIS HELICOPTER IS OWNED BY AMERICAN EUROCOPTER AND THE PILOT WAS DELIVERING IT TO A CUSTOMER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SURGING ANF LOSING POWER. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTED TO THE HELICOPTER DURING THIS EMEREGENCY LANDING, HOWEVER, MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED TO THE PILOT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE MANUFACTURING PLANT LOCATED AT GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS. NOTE: FACTORY CHANGING FAILED PART TO IMPROVED VERISON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.