What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 1/23/01, about 0745 PST, N8353F sustained damage during a hard landing (off airport) after the engine quit during an autorotation. The main rotor severed the tail boom but the helicopter stayed upright. The pilot and three passengers exited the a/c with no injuries. The pilot reported that during the cruise flight the torque meter fluctuated, the power was decreasing, the pilot started a descent. About 10 seconds later the chip light came on and about 15 seconds later he heard a loud bang and the engine quit.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 1/23/01, ABOUT 0745 PST, N8353F SUSTAINED DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING (OFF AIRPORT) AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT DURING AN AUTOROTATION. THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM BUT THE HELICOPTER STAYED UPRIGHT. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS EXITED THE A/C WITH NO INJURIES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE CRUISE FLIGHT THE TORQUE METER FLUCTUATED, THE POWER WAS DECREASING, THE PILOT STARTED A DESCENT. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER THE CHIP LIGHT CAME ON AND ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE ENGINE QUIT.
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 N8353F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.