What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) privacy data omitted pilot was repositioning a survey team. He set down on dry tussocks and allowed the engine to run while the team loaded equipment. Heat from the engine caught the tussocks on fire, which in turn caught the engine compartment on fire. An unsuccessful attempt was made to extinguish the fire. The pilot attempted ot move the helicopter, but the engine stalled. The site was then evacuated. The helicopter was destroyed in the fire, and approximately sixty acres of land burned before the fire was extinguished.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED PILOT WAS REPOSITIONING A SURVEY TEAM. HE SET DOWN ON DRY TUSSOCKS AND ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO RUN WHILE THE TEAM LOADED EQUIPMENT. HEAT FROM THE ENGINE CAUGHT THE TUSSOCKS ON FIRE, WHICH IN TURN CAUGHT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED OT MOVE THE HELICOPTER, BUT THE ENGINE STALLED. THE SITE WAS THEN EVACUATED. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED IN THE FIRE, AND APPROXIMATELY SIXTY ACRES OF LAND BURNED BEFORE THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.