What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 1/26/2004, while practicing long line vertical accuracy maneuvers for an upcoming o.a.s. checkride, under 14 CFR, part 91 operating rules, Mr. Mcdaniel experienced rapid deceleration of the engine. The aircraft was in an uncontrolled hover at approximately 110 feet AGL. Mr. Mcdaniels executed an autorotation into the field he was hovering above. During the touchdown phase of the maneuver, it appears that the tail skid contacted the ground prior to the aircraft main skids. This appears to have caused the main rotor blades to flex down an abnormal amount, striking the tail boom and severing it from the aircraft. The aircraft came to rest approximately 40 feet from the initial touchdown spot and slid to an upright stop. The field consisted of wet grass approximately 3 inches tall with intermixed soft mud. Mr. Mcdaniels was uninjured. The aircraft was recovered and transported to reforestation services, inc. maintenance facility at salem, Oregon (sle). A complete aircraft inspection was performed with emphasis on the engine, specifically the fuel and engine pneumatic systems.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 1/26/2004, WHILE PRACTICING LONG LINE VERTICAL ACCURACY MANEUVERS FOR AN UPCOMING O.A.S. CHECKRIDE, UNDER 14 CFR, PART 91 OPERATING RULES, MR. MCDANIEL EXPERIENCED RAPID DECELERATION OF THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN UNCONTROLLED HOVER AT APPROXIMATELY 110 FEET AGL. MR. MCDANIELS EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION INTO THE FIELD HE WAS HOVERING ABOVE. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN PHASE OF THE MANEUVER, IT APPEARS THAT THE TAIL SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT MAIN SKIDS. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO FLEX DOWN AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT, STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM AND SEVERING IT FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN SPOT AND SLID TO AN UPRIGHT STOP. THE FIELD CONSISTED OF WET GRASS APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES TALL WITH INTERMIXED SOFT MUD. MR. MCDANIELS WAS UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND TRANSPORTED TO REFORESTATION SERVICES, INC. MAINTENANCE FACILITY AT SALEM, OREGON (SLE). A COMPLETE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED WITH EMPHASIS ON THE ENGINE, SPECIFICALLY THE FUEL AND ENGINE PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.