What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 18, 2000, at 1021 MDT, a Bell 206L-3 heli, N937S, sustained substantial damage during an emergency autorotative landing near red rocks mountain park, Lakewood, CO. The airline transport certified pilot and his passengers were not injured. Visual eterorolical conditions prevailed for this business flight operating under title 14 CFR part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from kremming, CO. At 0950. According to the pilot, he was in a descent at about 9,500 feet above mean sea level (MSL) and lost tail rotor control. He performed an autorotation to a landing in a field. Subsequent to the landing, examination of the heli revealed that both tail rotor blades had separated approx. 8 inches outboard from the hub, and the tail rotor gear box was broken loose at the mounting gear.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 18, 2000, AT 1021 MDT, A BELL 206L-3 HELI, N937S, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY AUTOROTATIVE LANDING NEAR RED ROCKS MOUNTAIN PARK, LAKEWOOD, CO. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFIED PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL ETEROROLICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THIS BUSINESS FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM KREMMING, CO. AT 0950. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS IN A DESCENT AT ABOUT 9,500 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) AND LOST TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. HE PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION TO A LANDING IN A FIELD. SUBSEQUENT TO THE LANDING, EXAMINATION OF THE HELI REVEALED THAT BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES HAD SEPARATED APPROX. 8 INCHES OUTBOARD FROM THE HUB, AND THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX WAS BROKEN LOOSE AT THE MOUNTING GEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.