What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 8, 2002, at approximately 0715 PDT, N7176S (R-22 helicopter), piloted by clinton stay, was on a photo mission. N7176S had departed Henderson airport (hnd) and was headed northeast to another site when both pilot and photographer/pax smelled rubber burning. The pilot made the decision to enter an autorotation without complying with the manufacturer's emergency procedures. The pilot was able to land in an open field in a down wind configuration. The pilot pulled in collective too high from the ground and did not use the available engine power to land. This resulted in a hard landing which spread the skids and severed the tail boom. There were no injuries to the pilot and pax.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 8, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 0715 PDT, N7176S (R-22 HELICOPTER), PILOTED BY CLINTON STAY, WAS ON A PHOTO MISSION. N7176S HAD DEPARTED HENDERSON AIRPORT (HND) AND WAS HEADED NORTHEAST TO ANOTHER SITE WHEN BOTH PILOT AND PHOTOGRAPHER/PAX SMELLED RUBBER BURNING. THE PILOT MADE THE DECISION TO ENTER AN AUTOROTATION WITHOUT COMPLYING WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD IN A DOWN WIND CONFIGURATION. THE PILOT PULLED IN COLLECTIVE TOO HIGH FROM THE GROUND AND DID NOT USE THE AVAILABLE ENGINE POWER TO LAND. THIS RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING WHICH SPREAD THE SKIDS AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND PAX.
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 N7176S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.