What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While enroute from Indianola, MS. To itta bena, MS., to spray a cotton field, the engine sputtered and quit. The acft. Was at approx. 550 to 600 feet AGL so the pilot auto rotated to the ground. The acft landed on a dirt road in a cotton field, and rolled over on its right side causing substantial damage to the helicopter. The pilot was not injured. The right landing skid fractured in three places. The engine oil screen has metal particles throughout the screen and the bottom of the filter bowl. (.19) on July 10, 2001, at 1030 central daylight time, a Bell 47 helicopter, N8478D, collided with the ground and rolled over during an autorotation following a loss of engine power near Indianola, Mississippi. The aerial application flight was operated by talon air services under the provision of title 14 CFR part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight departed Indianola, Mississippi, at 1025. The pilot reported that while enroute to the next field to be sprayed, at 500 feet, the engine lost power. After att empts to restore full power, the pilot selected a nearby field for an autorotation. The pilot further reported that the autorotative maneuver was normal, but when the helicopter touched down, it rolled over on the right side. (.4) the pilot reported that while enroute to the next field to be sprayed, at 500 feet, the engine lost power. After attempts to restore full power, the pilot selected a nearby field. During the autorotative touchdown, the helicopter rolled over on the right side. During the engine examination, metal particles were recovered from the engine oil pump screen and the engine oil filter element. Further examination showed that # 1 cylinder connecting rod cap was wedged between the second crankshaft lobe and the engine case. The examination of the helicopter also revealed that the landing skid and cross-tubs were fractured into several pieces. The fracture examination showed all fractures were in overload. The engine had accumulated a total of 935.1 hours since the last major overhaul.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE ENROUTE FROM INDIANOLA, MS. TO ITTA BENA, MS., TO SPRAY A COTTON FIELD, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE ACFT. WAS AT APPROX. 550 TO 600 FEET AGL SO THE PILOT AUTO ROTATED TO THE GROUND. THE ACFT LANDED ON A DIRT ROAD IN A COTTON FIELD, AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE RIGHT LANDING SKID FRACTURED IN THREE PLACES. THE ENGINE OIL SCREEN HAS METAL PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE SCREEN AND THE BOTTOM OF THE FILTER BOWL. (.19) ON JULY 10, 2001, AT 1030 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47 HELICOPTER, N8478D, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER DURING AN AUTOROTATION FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR INDIANOLA, MISSISSIPPI. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY TALON AIR SERVICES UNDER THE PROVISION OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED INDIANOLA, MISSISSIPPI, AT 1025. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ENROUTE TO THE NEXT FIELD TO BE SPRAYED, AT 500 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER ATT EMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER, THE PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY FIELD FOR AN AUTOROTATION. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE AUTOROTATIVE MANEUVER WAS NORMAL, BUT WHEN THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN, IT ROLLED OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ENROUTE TO THE NEXT FIELD TO BE SPRAYED, AT 500 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER, THE PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY FIELD. DURING THE AUTOROTATIVE TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION, METAL PARTICLES WERE RECOVERED FROM THE ENGINE OIL PUMP SCREEN AND THE ENGINE OIL FILTER ELEMENT. FURTHER EXAMINATION SHOWED THAT # 1 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE SECOND CRANKSHAFT LOBE AND THE ENGINE CASE. THE EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER ALSO REVEALED THAT THE LANDING SKID AND CROSS-TUBS WERE FRACTURED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE FRACTURE EXAMINATION SHOWED ALL FRACTURES WERE IN OVERLOAD. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 935.1 HOURS SINCE THE LAST MAJOR OVERHAUL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.