What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
1981 Robinson R-22 helicopter experienced engine failure on take-off, the pilot auto-rotated the acft and was attempting to move to avoid obstacles, but the acft crashed, other circumstances are unknown. (-23)N9071T was piloted for the purpose of ferrting the aircraft to an arricultural field site on June 7, 1999. The aircraft was preflight and checked prior to flight by the pilot. The helicopter was repositioned 40 yards over a fence and set down for the purpose of adding additional fuel. The refueling process took place with the engine running and as a result the aircraft fuel tank was not chekced for fuel contamination afterwards. When the refueling was complete the helicopter departed enroute to the ag spraying stie. Within one mole of the departure point the engine stopped running forcing the pilot to set it down in a field. The pilot stated that he suspected fuel starvation during the interview with inspectors. During autorotation the pilot had to maneuver the helicopter to avoid hitting a tree in his path. This action caused him to lose significant main rotor RPM to set the aircraft down gently. Upon investigation, it was determined that there w as significantly more water in the aircraft fuel system than fuel.
As the FAA filed it
1981 ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE ON TAKE-OFF, THE PILOT AUTO-ROTATED THE ACFT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO MOVE TO AVOID OBSTACLES, BUT THE ACFT CRASHED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23)N9071T WAS PILOTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF FERRTING THE AIRCRAFT TO AN ARRICULTURAL FIELD SITE ON JUNE 7, 1999. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PREFLIGHT AND CHECKED PRIOR TO FLIGHT BY THE PILOT. THE HELICOPTER WAS REPOSITIONED 40 YARDS OVER A FENCE AND SET DOWN FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDING ADDITIONAL FUEL. THE REFUELING PROCESS TOOK PLACE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND AS A RESULT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK WAS NOT CHEKCED FOR FUEL CONTAMINATION AFTERWARDS. WHEN THE REFUELING WAS COMPLETE THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED ENROUTE TO THE AG SPRAYING STIE. WITHIN ONE MOLE OF THE DEPARTURE POINT THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING FORCING THE PILOT TO SET IT DOWN IN A FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SUSPECTED FUEL STARVATION DURING THE INTERVIEW WITH INSPECTORS. DURING AUTOROTATION THE PILOT HAD TO MANEUVER THE HELICOPTER TO AVOID HITTING A TREE IN HIS PATH. THIS ACTION CAUSED HIM TO LOSE SIGNIFICANT MAIN ROTOR RPM TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN GENTLY. UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE W AS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WATER IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM THAN FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.