What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot-in-command stated that the helicopter seemed to have a bit of a ground track problem (rough on the ground at full RPM). He proceeded to Sabine Pass and noticed that the in-flight ride was a little rougher than most SK-76'S that he had flown, with power to maintain cruise flight at 65% torque and 690-694 degrees c, which he thought was unusual. While enroute from intracoastal city, la (LA09) to Sabine Pass, TX (95XS), the pilot-in-command decided to do an autorotation to check the autorotation RPM. He stated that he disengaged the auto-pilot and entered the autorotation by lowering the collective and retarding the throttles to idle. The helicopter pitched nose up and then snapped left to a vertical descent. When he advanced the throttles back to the fly position, the helicopter began to shake violently. He managed to ride it through to a smoother flight and recovered full control. Being only eight or nine miles to the east of Sabine Pass, he elected to continue to the destination. He stated that no adverse flight controls were felt during the landing or hover to parking. Post flight inspection of the helicopter revealed that all four main rotor blades, spindles and dampeners had substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER SEEMED TO HAVE A BIT OF A GROUND TRACK PROBLEM (ROUGH ON THE GROUND AT FULL RPM). HE PROCEEDED TO SABINE PASS AND NOTICED THAT THE IN-FLIGHT RIDE WAS A LITTLE ROUGHER THAN MOST SK-76'S THAT HE HAD FLOWN, WITH POWER TO MAINTAIN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 65% TORQUE AND 690-694 DEGREES C, WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS UNUSUAL. WHILE ENROUTE FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY, LA (LA09) TO SABINE PASS, TX (95XS), THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND DECIDED TO DO AN AUTOROTATION TO CHECK THE AUTOROTATION RPM. HE STATED THAT HE DISENGAGED THE AUTO-PILOT AND ENTERED THE AUTOROTATION BY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE AND RETARDING THE THROTTLES TO IDLE. THE HELICOPTER PITCHED NOSE UP AND THEN SNAPPED LEFT TO A VERTICAL DESCENT. WHEN HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLES BACK TO THE FLY POSITION, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. HE MANAGED TO RIDE IT THROUGH TO A SMOOTHER FLIGHT AND RECOVERED FULL CONTROL. BEING ONLY EIGHT OR NINE MILES TO THE EAST OF SABINE PASS, HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO THE DESTINATION. HE STATED THAT NO ADVERSE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FELT DURING THE LANDING OR HOVER TO PARKING. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THAT ALL FOUR MAIN ROTOR BLADES, SPINDLES AND DAMPENERS HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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 N164AG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.