What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 23, 1999, approx. 0900 mountain daylight time, a Bell 47G3B2A helicopter, N83246, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while maneuvering 1 mile north of Tremonton, Utah. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. The aircraft was being operated under title 14 CFR part 137, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from the Tremonton municiple airport, Tremonton, Utah, several minutes prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to preliminary information, the pilot was conducting a repositioning flight to a local staging area. Shortly after departure, the engine experienced a loss of power and the helicopter landed hard. Upon impact with the ground, the main rotor blades flexed and severed the tail boom. (-23)after takeoff engine begin to run rough and lose power, pilot decided to land in a field. On approach to the field the engine lost more power, so the pilot initiated an autorotation. Upon closing the throttle the engine quit. Upon landing the helicopter rocked forward and then the main rotor forward and then the main rotor blades came down and struck the tail boom causing substantial damage to the helicopter. The carburetor had recently been replaced. Further investigation involving engine components is planned.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1999, APPROX. 0900 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G3B2A HELICOPTER, N83246, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE MANEUVERING 1 MILE NORTH OF TREMONTON, UTAH. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 137, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE TREMONTON MUNICIPLE AIRPORT, TREMONTON, UTAH, SEVERAL MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT TO A LOCAL STAGING AREA. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. UPON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. (-23)AFTER TAKEOFF ENGINE BEGIN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER, PILOT DECIDED TO LAND IN A FIELD. ON APPROACH TO THE FIELD THE ENGINE LOST MORE POWER, SO THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION. UPON CLOSING THE THROTTLE THE ENGINE QUIT. UPON LANDING THE HELICOPTER ROCKED FORWARD AND THEN THE MAIN ROTOR FORWARD AND THEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CAME DOWN AND STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER. THE CARBURETOR HAD RECENTLY BEEN REPLACED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INVOLVING ENGINE COMPONENTS IS PLANNED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.