What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On January 19, 2004, at 1430 eastern standard time, a Robinson R22 beta, N224LC, collided with the ground and was destroyed by post crash fire during an emergency landing near Nicholasville, KY. The emergency landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power at estimated 200 feet AGL, after takeoff; during a post maintenance check flight. The private pilot, sole occupant, was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated from the owner's (pilot) residence in a rural area, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan filed. The wreckage was at N37 degrees 52.016 minutes north latitude and 084 degrees 31.286 minutes' west longitude. An airframe and powerplant mechanic who had performed adjustments on the helicopter prior to the flight, stated to FAA inspectors, the accident helicopter lifted off from the owner's (pilot) residence to a hover of approximately 20 feet. The helicopter appeared to be operating satisfactorily and the pilot began a departure to the northwest. At an estimated 200 feet AGL, the mechanic stated he heard the engine start to misfire. The helicopter disappeared from sight behind trees and then he heard the impact. Smoke began appearing above the trees and the mechanic proceeded to the owner's (pilot) residence to inform the family. Prior to arriving at the residence the mechanic saw the owner (pilot) walking toward the residence. The owner (pilot) stated to FAA inspectors he was transitioning from takeoff at an estimated altitude of 200 feet AGL when the engine began sputtering and lost power. He stated he felt he was too low for an autorotation and decided to perform an emergency landing in an open field. The pilot (owner) stated after impact and once the helicopter came to rest, he saw fire on the left side of the helicopter (outside), and exited the right side clear of the wreckage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JANUARY 19, 2004, AT 1430 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R22 BETA, N224LC, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND WAS DESTROYED BY POST CRASH FIRE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR NICHOLASVILLE, KY. THE EMERGENCY LANDING WAS PRECIPITATED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ESTIMATED 200 FEET AGL, AFTER TAKEOFF; DURING A POST MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS OPERATING THE HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE OWNER'S (PILOT) RESIDENCE IN A RURAL AREA, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE WRECKAGE WAS AT N37 DEGREES 52.016 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE AND 084 DEGREES 31.286 MINUTES' WEST LONGITUDE. AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC WHO HAD PERFORMED ADJUSTMENTS ON THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, STATED TO FAA INSPECTORS, THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF FROM THE OWNER'S (PILOT) RESIDENCE TO A HOVER OF APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET. THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO BE OPERATING SATISFACTORILY AND THE PILOT BEGAN A DEPARTURE TO THE NORTHWEST. AT AN ESTIMATED 200 FEET AGL, THE MECHANIC STATED HE HEARD THE ENGINE START TO MISFIRE. THE HELICOPTER DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT BEHIND TREES AND THEN HE HEARD THE IMPACT. SMOKE BEGAN APPEARING ABOVE THE TREES AND THE MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO THE OWNER'S (PILOT) RESIDENCE TO INFORM THE FAMILY. PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE RESIDENCE THE MECHANIC SAW THE OWNER (PILOT) WALKING TOWARD THE RESIDENCE. THE OWNER (PILOT) STATED TO FAA INSPECTORS HE WAS TRANSITIONING FROM TAKEOFF AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN SPUTTERING AND LOST POWER. HE STATED HE FELT HE WAS TOO LOW FOR AN AUTOROTATION AND DECIDED TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT (OWNER) STATED AFTER IMPACT AND ONCE THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST, HE SAW FIRE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER (OUTSIDE), AND EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE CLEAR OF THE WRECKAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.