What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The non-certificated pilot, who had been building the helicopter for several years, had recorded a total of 5 hours of flight experience in 1988 and an additional 10 hours in 1999 (July 19th through August 24th). Although all his flight time had been logged as 'dual,' family members reported that a number of the eight flights conducted in 1999 (all in the accident helicopter), had been flown solo. An ear witness reported hearing the helicopter depart followed by a 'popping' sound and then silence. The witness then observed a plume of smoke. A mechanic stated that the pilot reported having engine problems and then borrowed a used carburetor and the pilot's logbook contained an entry dated 8/16/99 with the remark 'flight test changed carb running good.' The aircraft impacted terrain in a steep descent and wreckage distribution was confined to a small area. Minimal leading edge rotor blade damage was noted and the engine/rotor RPM indicator was observed to display '0' and '170' RPM respectively at the site. The center portion of the helicopter including the engine and transmission were heavily damaged in the post-crash fire. (-23)at approximately 1145 LCL,privacy data omitted ^took-off from his residence and proceeded in a westerly direction. A/c suffered an apparent loss of power due to undetermined causes. Autorotation initiated, rotor RPM was allowed to degenerate, a/c crashed, first impatch was one main rotor blade, second impact was main rotor hub, followed by a/c hitting ground on left-hand side about 15 feet west of hub imprint. Fuel tanks ruptured, fuel ignited, a/c burned. Pilot did not leave a/c.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT, WHO HAD BEEN BUILDING THE HELICOPTER FOR SEVERAL YEARS, HAD RECORDED A TOTAL OF 5 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN 1988 AND AN ADDITIONAL 10 HOURS IN 1999 (JULY 19TH THROUGH AUGUST 24TH). ALTHOUGH ALL HIS FLIGHT TIME HAD BEEN LOGGED AS 'DUAL,' FAMILY MEMBERS REPORTED THAT A NUMBER OF THE EIGHT FLIGHTS CONDUCTED IN 1999 (ALL IN THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER), HAD BEEN FLOWN SOLO. AN EAR WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE HELICOPTER DEPART FOLLOWED BY A 'POPPING' SOUND AND THEN SILENCE. THE WITNESS THEN OBSERVED A PLUME OF SMOKE. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS AND THEN BORROWED A USED CARBURETOR AND THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK CONTAINED AN ENTRY DATED 8/16/99 WITH THE REMARK 'FLIGHT TEST CHANGED CARB RUNNING GOOD.' THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A STEEP DESCENT AND WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION WAS CONFINED TO A SMALL AREA. MINIMAL LEADING EDGE ROTOR BLADE DAMAGE WAS NOTED AND THE ENGINE/ROTOR RPM INDICATOR WAS OBSERVED TO DISPLAY '0' AND '170' RPM RESPECTIVELY AT THE SITE. THE CENTER PORTION OF THE HELICOPTER INCLUDING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED IN THE POST-CRASH FIRE. (-23)AT APPROXIMATELY 1145 LCL,^PRIVACY ^TOOK-OFF FROM HIS RESIDENCE AND PROCEEDED IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION. A/C SUFFERED AN APPARENT LOSS OF POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED CAUSES. AUTOROTATION INITIATED, ROTOR RPM WAS ALLOWED TO DEGENERATE, A/C CRASHED, FIRST IMPATCH WAS ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE, SECOND IMPACT WAS MAIN ROTOR HUB, FOLLOWED BY A/C HITTING GROUND ON LEFT-HAND SIDE ABOUT 15 FEET WEST OF HUB IMPRINT. FUEL TANKS RUPTURED, FUEL IGNITED, A/C BURNED. PILOT DID NOT LEAVE A/C.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N11VH · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.