What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On June 11, 2001, approximately 1200 pacific daylight time, a Hughes 369D, N69PE, registered to and operated by e 3 helicopters, as a 14 CFR part 91 maintenance test flight, experienced a loss of engine power followed by a hard landing near Canby, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot and mechanic on board were not injured. The flight originated from aurora, Oregon, at an unknown time. The pilot reported to a federal aviation administration inspector from the hillsboro, Oregon, flight standards district office that while performing blade tracking procedures, the engine RPM began to decay. The pilot tried to increase engine power, however, the engine did not respond. During the autorotation, the helicopter landed hard. The main rotors subsequently contacted and severed the tail boom. (-23) during cruise flight, N69PE, a Hughes 369D helicopter lost power and was forced to autorotate. The resulting hard landing caused the main rotor to contact the tail boom, cutting it off.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON JUNE 11, 2001, APPROXIMATELY 1200 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 369D, N69PE, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY E 3 HELICOPTERS, AS A 14 CFR PART 91 MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOLLOWED BY A HARD LANDING NEAR CANBY, OREGON. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND MECHANIC ON BOARD WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM AURORA, OREGON, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. THE PILOT REPORTED TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR FROM THE HILLSBORO, OREGON, FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE THAT WHILE PERFORMING BLADE TRACKING PROCEDURES, THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO DECAY. THE PILOT TRIED TO INCREASE ENGINE POWER, HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. DURING THE AUTOROTATION, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE MAIN ROTORS SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. (-23) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, N69PE, A HUGHES 369D HELICOPTER LOST POWER AND WAS FORCED TO AUTOROTATE. THE RESULTING HARD LANDING CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR TO CONTACT THE TAIL BOOM, CUTTING IT OFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.