What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 19, 2002, about 1150 mountain standard time, a homebuilt rotorway 162F, N162AZ, landed hard during a forced landing approximately 5 miles south of Ryan field, Tucson, Arizona. The owner/operator was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at an unknown time from Ryan field. In a phone interview, the pilot stated that a mechanical failure occurred at altitude resulting in an immediate autorotation. He further stated that the secondary drive shaft broke in half resulting in the engine disconnecting from the rotor. During the forced landing, the aircraft rolled onto its left side after hitting a bush. (-23) pilot was performing pattern and ground reference maneuvers approximately 5 miles south west of Ryan airport (ryn) when the pilot initiated an autorotation. During the autorotation maneuver the pilot struck a cactus with the right skid causing the aircraft to roll to the left causing the main rotor to strike the ground, causing the aircraft to settle on its left side. The pilot states that the engine disengaged from the rotor during his practice maneuvers which caused him to initiate an autorotation. There is no evidence of this nature as the pilot completely disposed of the aircraft in a waste dump prior to any inspection of the aircraft or its components.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 19, 2002, ABOUT 1150 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A HOMEBUILT ROTORWAY 162F, N162AZ, LANDED HARD DURING A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF RYAN FIELD, TUCSON, ARIZONA. THE OWNER/OPERATOR WAS OPERATING THE HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED; THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT AN UNKNOWN TIME FROM RYAN FIELD. IN A PHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT A MECHANICAL FAILURE OCCURRED AT ALTITUDE RESULTING IN AN IMMEDIATE AUTOROTATION. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE SECONDARY DRIVE SHAFT BROKE IN HALF RESULTING IN THE ENGINE DISCONNECTING FROM THE ROTOR. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE AFTER HITTING A BUSH. (-23) PILOT WAS PERFORMING PATTERN AND GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH WEST OF RYAN AIRPORT (RYN) WHEN THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION. DURING THE AUTOROTATION MANEUVER THE PILOT STRUCK A CACTUS WITH THE RIGHT SKID CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO STRIKE THE GROUND, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT STATES THAT THE ENGINE DISENGAGED FROM THE ROTOR DURING HIS PRACTICE MANEUVERS WHICH CAUSED HIM TO INITIATE AN AUTOROTATION. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF THIS NATURE AS THE PILOT COMPLETELY DISPOSED OF THE AIRCRAFT IN A WASTE DUMP PRIOR TO ANY INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ITS COMPONENTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.