19990727026109A

(.19) On July 27, 1999, at 1730 central daylight time, a Hughes 269C, N88007, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with the ground during a practice autorotation at the Jetmore municipal airport, Jetmore, Kansas. The pilot said the engine failed operating during the autorotation maneuver. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed hayes, Kansas, exact time unknown. (.4)the pilot said he was going to practice an auto rotation. He said he '...rolled the throttle back to idle position and dropped the collective...[and]noted a red light on the dash and could hear the engine had quit running.' He said the subsequent auto rotation '...terminated in a hard landing.' The on-scene investigation revealed flight and powerplant control operational continuity and fuel in the accident helicopter's fuel tanks. The engine was test run and its low idle was 1,300 RPM. According to a representative from a company that maintains and rebuilds helicopters like that of th e accident helicopter, '..it is possible for an engine to die when a rapid roll-off of [the] throttle is accomplished and too low an idle RPM setting exists.' The FAA approved fligth manual said that the pilot should 'split the needles by lowering the collective while maintaining throttle setting. The throttle correclation will establish a high idle RPM (approximately 2500 RPM) and will prevent the engine from loading up or stalling on recovery.(-23)on 7/27/99, Schweizer helicopter N88007, piloted by michael d. weatherl , left licoln, Nebraska at about 12 to 1 pm for hays, Kansas. After conducting his business in hays and refueling, Mr. Weatherl left hays at about 4:30PM for dodge city, Kansas. About 20 miles out of dodge city at about 5:30 pm (near Jetmore, KS), Mr. Weatherl decided to practice an auot-rotation to a hill top with a power recovery. After entering the maneuver the engine quit. Mr. Weatherl continued the auto-rotation but overshot the intended area and landed down hill in a tail low altitude. The tail boomassembly struck the ground, broke off, and landed approximately 40 yards beyond the body of the helicopter. The body of the helicopter struck the gro und spreading the skids, bending all the rotor blades down, and causing other structural damage to the body of the helicopter. Mr. Weatherl was not hurt and was the only occupant of the heicopter.