What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft was preheated for approx. 40 minutes, uncovered and started and ground run for approx. 10-15 minutes prior to takeoff. Pilot departed landing area for stagging area and climbed to 300 feet AGL, he was in the air for approx. 5-7 minutes when the engine had a loss of power and quit. Pilot entered autorotation and hard landed in a farmers field. Inspection of the aircraft revealed that the rear crosstube was slightly bent downward, last 2 feet of tailboom was broken, t/r blades destroyed and one m/r blade had repairable damage. Inspected all air and fuel system and related lines, sumped all fuel areas, no indications found. Started and run engine for approx. 15 minutes with no indications of problems noted. Note: fuel pump, fuel control, fuel governor and fuel nozzle sent to rolls royce for further inspection.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS PREHEATED FOR APPROX. 40 MINUTES, UNCOVERED AND STARTED AND GROUND RUN FOR APPROX. 10-15 MINUTES PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. PILOT DEPARTED LANDING AREA FOR STAGGING AREA AND CLIMBED TO 300 FEET AGL, HE WAS IN THE AIR FOR APPROX. 5-7 MINUTES WHEN THE ENGINE HAD A LOSS OF POWER AND QUIT. PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND HARD LANDED IN A FARMERS FIELD. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE REAR CROSSTUBE WAS SLIGHTLY BENT DOWNWARD, LAST 2 FEET OF TAILBOOM WAS BROKEN, T/R BLADES DESTROYED AND ONE M/R BLADE HAD REPAIRABLE DAMAGE. INSPECTED ALL AIR AND FUEL SYSTEM AND RELATED LINES, SUMPED ALL FUEL AREAS, NO INDICATIONS FOUND. STARTED AND RUN ENGINE FOR APPROX. 15 MINUTES WITH NO INDICATIONS OF PROBLEMS NOTED. NOTE: FUEL PUMP, FUEL CONTROL, FUEL GOVERNOR AND FUEL NOZZLE SENT TO ROLLS ROYCE FOR FURTHER INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.