What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 11, 2002, at approximately 0800 hrs. Mr. David myer was operating Bell 206B helicopter N513FD on a traffic watch flight with three additional passengers on board the aircraft. When they were in the vicinity of midway road and bobbitt drive Dallas Texas, the aircraft experienced a power loss which the pilot was not sure was a total loss or a partial loss. He noted that the rotor RPM was dropping so he immediately entered autorotation. The aircraft descended through some trees and touched down on bobbitt drive and then slid about 150 feet west on bobbitt drive and out into the middle of the intersection of midway road and bobbitt drive. A large section of the tail boom including the tail rotor gear box and vertical stabilizer separated from the aircraft as did sections of the skids. One passenger sustained minor injuries and was removed to parkland hospital where she was treated and released the following day.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 11, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 HRS. MR. DAVID MYER WAS OPERATING BELL 206B HELICOPTER N513FD ON A TRAFFIC WATCH FLIGHT WITH THREE ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. WHEN THEY WERE IN THE VICINITY OF MIDWAY ROAD AND BOBBITT DRIVE DALLAS TEXAS, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS WHICH THE PILOT WAS NOT SURE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OR A PARTIAL LOSS. HE NOTED THAT THE ROTOR RPM WAS DROPPING SO HE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AUTOROTATION. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH SOME TREES AND TOUCHED DOWN ON BOBBITT DRIVE AND THEN SLID ABOUT 150 FEET WEST ON BOBBITT DRIVE AND OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION OF MIDWAY ROAD AND BOBBITT DRIVE. A LARGE SECTION OF THE TAIL BOOM INCLUDING THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX AND VERTICAL STABILIZER SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS DID SECTIONS OF THE SKIDS. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS REMOVED TO PARKLAND HOSPITAL WHERE SHE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED THE FOLLOWING DAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.