What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) June 8, 2002, at 1020 mtn time, Bell 47G-3B-1 helicopter, N999DW, was substantially damaged when it encountered turbulence while in cruise flt near nederlands, CO. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the pilot. The private pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of FAR part 91 personal flight. The local flt originated from the pilot's private staging area in Nederland. According to the pilot, the helicopter was in cruise flight at 9,000 ft. (700 ft. AGL) with a 20-25 knot headwind and light turbulence, when the flt encountered "severe turbulence". He stated that the helicopter went "up and down violently for a period of 2-3 seconds." The helicopter then began spinning to the right. Subsequently, the pilot performed an autorotation to sloping terrain without further incident. The pilot examined the helicopter and reported that the tailrotor driveshaft was separated, the tailboom was damaged, and one main rotor blade was damaged due to inflight turbulence. A witness, who was fishing nearby observed waterspouts between 2-8 ft. tall and high swirling winds.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) JUNE 8, 2002, AT 1020 MTN TIME, BELL 47G-3B-1 HELICOPTER, N999DW, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE WHILE IN CRUISE FLT NEAR NEDERLANDS, CO. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FAR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLT ORIGINATED FROM THE PILOT'S PRIVATE STAGING AREA IN NEDERLAND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 9,000 FT. (700 FT. AGL) WITH A 20-25 KNOT HEADWIND AND LIGHT TURBULENCE, WHEN THE FLT ENCOUNTERED "SEVERE TURBULENCE". HE STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WENT "UP AND DOWN VIOLENTLY FOR A PERIOD OF 2-3 SECONDS." THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN SPINNING TO THE RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION TO SLOPING TERRAIN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PILOT EXAMINED THE HELICOPTER AND REPORTED THAT THE TAILROTOR DRIVESHAFT WAS SEPARATED, THE TAILBOOM WAS DAMAGED, AND ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO INFLIGHT TURBULENCE. A WITNESS, WHO WAS FISHING NEARBY OBSERVED WATERSPOUTS BETWEEN 2-8 FT. TALL AND HIGH SWIRLING WINDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.