What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 2, 2002, at 1440 central daylight time, a Eurocopter AS350B3 helicopter, N747R, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine RPM control near Eagle Pass, Texas. The helicopter was registered to sage well services, inc., and operated by privacy data omitted of encinal, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 business flight. The cross-country flight departed del rio, Texas, at 1400, and was destined for an oil drilling rig near encinal. Preliminary information indicates that while in cruise flight, with the autopilot engaged, the governor warning light illuminated and the audio sounded. As the pilot was turning the helicopter to return to home base, the engine RPM began to increase and decrease. The pilot was unable to control the RPM and initiated an autorotation to a field. The helicopter landed hard separating the tail boom and fracturing two arms of the main rotor starflex. (-23) pilot experienced a master caution warning, red gov light illuminatedwhile flying cross country. Selected manual throttle control with the auto pilot engaged. Could not maintain correct engine and main rotor RPM. Decided to perform an autorotation. Touched down hard causing main rotor to sever the tail boom. Substantial damage to the helicopter, no injury to the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2002, AT 1440 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A EUROCOPTER AS350B3 HELICOPTER, N747R, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE RPM CONTROL NEAR EAGLE PASS, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO SAGE WELL SERVICES, INC., AND OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF ENCINAL, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED DEL RIO, TEXAS, AT 1400, AND WAS DESTINED FOR AN OIL DRILLING RIG NEAR ENCINAL. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATES THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, WITH THE AUTOPILOT ENGAGED, THE GOVERNOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE AUDIO SOUNDED. AS THE PILOT WAS TURNING THE HELICOPTER TO RETURN TO HOME BASE, THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO INCREASE AND DECREASE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE RPM AND INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO A FIELD. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD SEPARATING THE TAIL BOOM AND FRACTURING TWO ARMS OF THE MAIN ROTOR STARFLEX. (-23) PILOT EXPERIENCED A MASTER CAUTION WARNING, RED GOV LIGHT ILLUMINATEDWHILE FLYING CROSS COUNTRY. SELECTED MANUAL THROTTLE CONTROL WITH THE AUTO PILOT ENGAGED. COULD NOT MAINTAIN CORRECT ENGINE AND MAIN ROTOR RPM. DECIDED TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION. TOUCHED DOWN HARD CAUSING MAIN ROTOR TO SEVER THE TAIL BOOM. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER, NO INJURY TO THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.