What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(Tty) Oklahoma City police department 1995 Mcdonnell Douglas ME-500E helicopter crashed in the grass adjacent to rwy 16, the tail rotor struck the ground, and the helicopter crashed and rolled over. Other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on June 30, 1999, at 2330 central daylight time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 500-E helicopter, N686F, owned and operated by the Oklahoma City police department, was substantially damaged during a night landing at the Downtown Airpark Airport, Oklahoma City, OK. The private pilot and crewmember were not injured, and the passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 public use local flight. The flight departed the Downtown airpark, about 30 minutes prior to the accident. According to preliminary information, during a practice autorotation, the pilot did not perform a power recovery, and the helicopter's tail rotor struck the ground. As the pilot attempted to level the helicopter, it touched down "hard." The helicopter came to rest on its right side. The operator reported that an examination of the helicopter revealed the tail boom p artially separated about three feet from its fuselage attaching point. The main drive shaft was damaged, the tail rotor drive shaft was separated at its aft flex coupling, and the right skid was separated. (.4)during a night practice autorotation, after reapplying power, the pilot flared the helicopter too low, and the tailboom contacted the ground. Tail rotor control was lost, and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. (-23)during night autorotation simulation, the tail rotor struck the ground. The pilot attempted to level out, but the aircraft impacted the ground separating the RH skid. The aircraft came to rest on its right side. This is a public use aircraft. No further action required.
As the FAA filed it
(TTY) OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT 1995 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS ME-500E HELICOPTER CRASHED IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO RWY 16, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED AND ROLLED OVER. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JUNE 30, 1999, AT 2330 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS 500-E HELICOPTER, N686F, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A NIGHT LANDING AT THE DOWNTOWN AIRPARK AIRPORT, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND CREWMEMBER WERE NOT INJURED, AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 PUBLIC USE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE DOWNTOWN AIRPARK, ABOUT 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM A POWER RECOVERY, AND THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND. AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER, IT TOUCHED DOWN "HARD." THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT AN EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THE TAIL BOOM P ARTIALLY SEPARATED ABOUT THREE FEET FROM ITS FUSELAGE ATTACHING POINT. THE MAIN DRIVE SHAFT WAS DAMAGED, THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS SEPARATED AT ITS AFT FLEX COUPLING, AND THE RIGHT SKID WAS SEPARATED. (.4)DURING A NIGHT PRACTICE AUTOROTATION, AFTER REAPPLYING POWER, THE PILOT FLARED THE HELICOPTER TOO LOW, AND THE TAILBOOM CONTACTED THE GROUND. TAIL ROTOR CONTROL WAS LOST, AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. (-23)DURING NIGHT AUTOROTATION SIMULATION, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL OUT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND SEPARATING THE RH SKID. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THIS IS A PUBLIC USE AIRCRAFT. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.