What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On April 18, 2001, at 1630 central daylight time, a Hughes 369D helicopter, N713HT, operated by a commercial pilot, was destroyed when it impacted the terrain during an emergency landing after experiencing a total loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The tree-trimming operation was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 133, rotorcraft external load. The operation entailed using an aerial saw suspended beneath the helicopter to trim trees in the vicinity of power lines. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot on board sustained minor injuries. The local flight departed from a landing zone near Du Quoin, Illinois. A federal aviation administration inspector examined the helicopter at the accident site. The helicopter was resting on its left side approximately 300 feet south of some east-west running power lines. The rotor blades were broken off near the hub. The tail boom was severed in several places. Both skids were broken off. Control continuity was established to the control pedals and the collective. Fuel samples were taken from the helicopter and a nurse truck used to refuel the helicopter. The helicopter's engine was retained for further examination. (-23) on 04/18/2001, at approximately 1430 local time the properly certificated and qualified pilot of a Hughes HU-369-D helicopter with an external load weighing approximately 765 lbs., consisting of an aerial solutions airborne tree trimming saw was trimming a power-line right-of-way. The PIC experienced a loss of power just as he started to accelerate and climb to reverse course. The PIC indicated the first indication of power loss was the audible engine out/low rotor RPM indication. Aircraft altitude was approximately 150 feet AGL. The pilot then released the saw, made a radio call to the ground crew and attempted to make a run-on landing in an open field. As the aircraft descended the PIC pulled the fuel shut-off control and turned off the master switch. The aircraft came to rest on its left side in a field, approximately 500 feet from the last tree that was being trimmed. The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft received minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON APRIL 18, 2001, AT 1630 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 369D HELICOPTER, N713HT, OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER EXPERIENCING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE TREE-TRIMMING OPERATION WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 133, ROTORCRAFT EXTERNAL LOAD. THE OPERATION ENTAILED USING AN AERIAL SAW SUSPENDED BENEATH THE HELICOPTER TO TRIM TREES IN THE VICINITY OF POWER LINES. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN ON FILE. THE PILOT ON BOARD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM A LANDING ZONE NEAR DU QUOIN, ILLINOIS. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE HELICOPTER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE HELICOPTER WAS RESTING ON ITS LEFT SIDE APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET SOUTH OF SOME EAST-WEST RUNNING POWER LINES. THE ROTOR BLADES WERE BROKEN OFF NEAR THE HUB. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED IN SEVERAL PLACES. BOTH SKIDS WERE BROKEN OFF. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO THE CONTROL PEDALS AND THE COLLECTIVE. FUEL SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM THE HELICOPTER AND A NURSE TRUCK USED TO REFUEL THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE WAS RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. (-23) ON 04/18/2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 LOCAL TIME THE PROPERLY CERTIFICATED AND QUALIFIED PILOT OF A HUGHES HU-369-D HELICOPTER WITH AN EXTERNAL LOAD WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 765 LBS., CONSISTING OF AN AERIAL SOLUTIONS AIRBORNE TREE TRIMMING SAW WAS TRIMMING A POWER-LINE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THE PIC EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER JUST AS HE STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND CLIMB TO REVERSE COURSE. THE PIC INDICATED THE FIRST INDICATION OF POWER LOSS WAS THE AUDIBLE ENGINE OUT/LOW ROTOR RPM INDICATION. AIRCRAFT ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET AGL. THE PILOT THEN RELEASED THE SAW, MADE A RADIO CALL TO THE GROUND CREW AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RUN-ON LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THE PIC PULLED THE FUEL SHUT-OFF CONTROL AND TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE IN A FIELD, APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET FROM THE LAST TREE THAT WAS BEING TRIMMED. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.