What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Engine failure, pilot executed an auto rotation hitting hard causing substantial damage to aircraft. (From .19) on June 1, 1999, at 1500 central daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N7131U, owned and operated by chevron usa, inc., of new orleans, Louisiana, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Venice, Louisiana. The commercial pilot and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company VFR flight plan was filed for 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 135 pipeline patrol flight. The flight originated from the west delta 30 platform located in the gulf of Mexico. According to preliminary information, the helicopter was at cruise flight when a loss of engine power occurred. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a marshy area. The helicopter touched down hard and subsequently, the tailboom separate from the fuselage and both main rotor blades were damaged. (-23)engine failed in flight due to splined adapter and 2 1/2 bearing failure. Parts will undergo metallurgical evaluation at allison to determine wh ich failed first.
As the FAA filed it
ENGINE FAILURE, PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTO ROTATION HITTING HARD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. (FROM .19) ON JUNE 1, 1999, AT 1500 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, N7131U, OWNED AND OPERATED BY CHEVRON USA, INC., OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING, FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR VENICE, LOUISIANA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 135 PIPELINE PATROL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE WEST DELTA 30 PLATFORM LOCATED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE HELICOPTER WAS AT CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO A MARSHY AREA. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAILBOOM SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE AND BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED. (-23)ENGINE FAILED IN FLIGHT DUE TO SPLINED ADAPTER AND 2 1/2 BEARING FAILURE. PARTS WILL UNDERGO METALLURGICAL EVALUATION AT ALLISON TO DETERMINE WH ICH FAILED FIRST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.