What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
1968 Bell 47G-3B-1 helicopter was involved in aerial application when it experienced engine failure, the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing in a field, and the soft ground caused the helicopter to nose-up, the canopy broke, and the main rotor struck the tail rotor causing substantial damage, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on June 13, 1999, at 1000 central daylight time, a Bell 47G-3B-1, N64292, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following loss of engine power. The accident occurred near Austin, Minnesota. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The aerial application 14 CFR part 137 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed about 0945. The pilot said that the engine began to run off and on and then quit completely. He said that he was conducting a swath run at the time and the helicopter was flying about 40 mph at an altitude of 5 to 10 feet above the ground. He said he attempted to make a run-on landing; however, the skids dug into the soft terrain and nosed forward. He said then the main rotor blades cut through the tail boom. He could not account for the power loss. (-23) while spraying soybean field, engine failed. Pilot attempted run-on landing, skids sunk in soft ground. A/c rocked forward, main rotor blades severed tail boom. A/c was substantially damaged. The pilot was sole occupant and was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
1968 BELL 47G-3B-1 HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN IT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, AND THE SOFT GROUND CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO NOSE-UP, THE CANOPY BROKE, AND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JUNE 13, 1999, AT 1000 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-3B-1, N64292, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR AUSTIN, MINNESOTA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE AERIAL APPLICATION 14 CFR PART 137 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED ABOUT 0945. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN OFF AND ON AND THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. HE SAID THAT HE WAS CONDUCTING A SWATH RUN AT THE TIME AND THE HELICOPTER WAS FLYING ABOUT 40 MPH AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. HE SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RUN-ON LANDING; HOWEVER, THE SKIDS DUG INTO THE SOFT TERRAIN AND NOSED FORWARD. HE SAID THEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CUT THROUGH THE TAIL BOOM. HE COULD NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE POWER LOSS. (-23) WHILE SPRAYING SOYBEAN FIELD, ENGINE FAILED. PILOT ATTEMPTED RUN-ON LANDING, SKIDS SUNK IN SOFT GROUND. A/C ROCKED FORWARD, MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED TAIL BOOM. A/C WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS SOLE OCCUPANT AND WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.