What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 12, 2001, at 1330 hours pacific daylight time, a Bell 206B, N474SF, lost engine power and made a hard landing from an autorotation in san francisco, California. The helicopter sustained substantial damage; however, neither the certificated commercial pilot nor his three passengers wer injured. San francisco helicopter tours was operating the helicopter as a for-hire sightseeing flight under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The local flight originated from san francisco international airport at 1317. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he was inbound to the airport when he saw an "engine" chip light illuminate, and heard a whining sound. He was looking for a suitable landing area when he saw the "engine out" light illuminate. He then found himself over a large, flat, open field about 600 feet MSL, and between 110 to 120 mph. He lowered the collective to enter an autorotation and applied aft cyclic to slow his forward airspeed. As he neared the bottom of the maneuver, he pulled collective pitch to cushion the landing; however, the helicopter abruptly spun 90 degrees to the left. The main rotor blades struck the tail boom and the ground. The tail boom was separated from the helicopter. All the occupants were uninjured and were able to exit the helicopter without assistance. (-23) at approximately 1340 hours PDT on July 12, 2001, N474SF, a Bell 206BH, experienced an engine failure, about 40 seconds after a chip light illuminated. The pilot autorotated to an open field resulting in a hard landing. During the hard landing the tail boom was cut off by the main rotor blades. Neither the pilot nor his three passengers were injured. Engine will be sent to a repair station for inspection.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 12, 2001, AT 1330 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B, N474SF, LOST ENGINE POWER AND MADE A HARD LANDING FROM AN AUTOROTATION IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; HOWEVER, NEITHER THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT NOR HIS THREE PASSENGERS WER INJURED. SAN FRANCISCO HELICOPTER TOURS WAS OPERATING THE HELICOPTER AS A FOR-HIRE SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT 1317. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT WHEN HE SAW AN "ENGINE" CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATE, AND HEARD A WHINING SOUND. HE WAS LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE LANDING AREA WHEN HE SAW THE "ENGINE OUT" LIGHT ILLUMINATE. HE THEN FOUND HIMSELF OVER A LARGE, FLAT, OPEN FIELD ABOUT 600 FEET MSL, AND BETWEEN 110 TO 120 MPH. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO ENTER AN AUTOROTATION AND APPLIED AFT CYCLIC TO SLOW HIS FORWARD AIRSPEED. AS HE NEARED THE BOTTOM OF THE MANEUVER, HE PULLED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO CUSHION THE LANDING; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER ABRUPTLY SPUN 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM AND THE GROUND. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. ALL THE OCCUPANTS WERE UNINJURED AND WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. (-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1340 HOURS PDT ON JULY 12, 2001, N474SF, A BELL 206BH, EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE, ABOUT 40 SECONDS AFTER A CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO AN OPEN FIELD RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. DURING THE HARD LANDING THE TAIL BOOM WAS CUT OFF BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. ENGINE WILL BE SENT TO A REPAIR STATION FOR INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.