What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Tuesday, August 7, 2001, a Hughes model 269C helicopter, N3626B, operated by Mr. Ronald steen as a rating candidate, and Mr. David torrey as the pilot examiner, was substantially damaged after the flight examiner attempted an autorotative landing following an engine failure and touched down hard in a corn field. Mr. Steen stated that the helicopter was proceeding south to return to niagara falls airport at 1500' AGL. The examiner rolled off the throttle and Mr. Steen began the autorotation which was progressing normally. At approximately 800 to 900 feet, the examiner directed that the pilot make a power recovery. Mr. Steen was attempting to restore the power, but the engine did not respond. Mr. Torrey then noticed no power response and at the request of Mr. Steen, took the controls but was unable to keep the helicopter from making a hard landing in the field. The main rotor cut off the the tail boom and tail rotor, the right skid collapsed, the main rotor was slightly damaged and the lower windshield bubble was broken. No one was injured and no fuel was spilled as a result. The helicopter had been traveling in a westerly direction and turned approximately 45 degrees to theleft as a result of the impact and remained upright. All controls appeared to be operative and the pilot stated that the engine operated normally prior to the stoppage before contacting the ground.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2001, A HUGHES MODEL 269C HELICOPTER, N3626B, OPERATED BY MR. RONALD STEEN AS A RATING CANDIDATE, AND MR. DAVID TORREY AS THE PILOT EXAMINER, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER THE FLIGHT EXAMINER ATTEMPTED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING FOLLOWING AN ENGINE FAILURE AND TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A CORN FIELD. MR. STEEN STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS PROCEEDING SOUTH TO RETURN TO NIAGARA FALLS AIRPORT AT 1500' AGL. THE EXAMINER ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE AND MR. STEEN BEGAN THE AUTOROTATION WHICH WAS PROGRESSING NORMALLY. AT APPROXIMATELY 800 TO 900 FEET, THE EXAMINER DIRECTED THAT THE PILOT MAKE A POWER RECOVERY. MR. STEEN WAS ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE THE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. MR. TORREY THEN NOTICED NO POWER RESPONSE AND AT THE REQUEST OF MR. STEEN, TOOK THE CONTROLS BUT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER FROM MAKING A HARD LANDING IN THE FIELD. THE MAIN ROTOR CUT OFF THE THE TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR, THE RIGHT SKID COLLAPSED, THE MAIN ROTOR WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED AND THE LOWER WINDSHIELD BUBBLE WAS BROKEN. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO FUEL WAS SPILLED AS A RESULT. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN TRAVELING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION AND TURNED APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES TO THELEFT AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT AND REMAINED UPRIGHT. ALL CONTROLS APPEARED TO BE OPERATIVE AND THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY PRIOR TO THE STOPPAGE BEFORE CONTACTING THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.