What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During cruise flight, pilot stated the helicopter dropped suddenly, and experienced a violent yaw, estimated direction to the left. Pilot then executed an autorotation and landed hard in an open field, where the helicopter rolled on its right side. The pilot stated the engine was running after the landing, and shut off the engine using the throttle control on the collective. On 6/9/2004, the helicopter was inspected by the NTSB, rolls royce engine company, and the FAA for suspected engine power loss. Flight controls were checked for continuity and found intact except for crash damaged areas of the tail boom, and main rotor transmission. The engine fuel filter was inspected, with no abnormalities noted. Engine oil chip detectors were removed and found in normal condition. The engine fuel nozzle was removed and inspected, with no faults noted. General inspection of the exterior of the engine revealed no damage, and all associated oil and fuel system lines appeared to be properly attached. The exhaust area of the engine was noted as containing "metal splashing indications" from some sort of melted substance. The compressor inlet was inspected for condition. Foreign object damagewas noted due to crash damaged components entering the engine during operation. This ingestion of material was determined to be the cause of the "metal splashing" noted in the exhaust area of the engine. The NTSB is to send engine to the manufacturer for further testing of the engine fuel control systems, and possible engine test run, if compressor damage deemed acceptable for an operational test.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, PILOT STATED THE HELICOPTER DROPPED SUDDENLY, AND EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT YAW, ESTIMATED DIRECTION TO THE LEFT. PILOT THEN EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION AND LANDED HARD IN AN OPEN FIELD, WHERE THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AFTER THE LANDING, AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE USING THE THROTTLE CONTROL ON THE COLLECTIVE. ON 6/9/2004, THE HELICOPTER WAS INSPECTED BY THE NTSB, ROLLS ROYCE ENGINE COMPANY, AND THE FAA FOR SUSPECTED ENGINE POWER LOSS. FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY AND FOUND INTACT EXCEPT FOR CRASH DAMAGED AREAS OF THE TAIL BOOM, AND MAIN ROTOR TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE FUEL FILTER WAS INSPECTED, WITH NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED. ENGINE OIL CHIP DETECTORS WERE REMOVED AND FOUND IN NORMAL CONDITION. THE ENGINE FUEL NOZZLE WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED, WITH NO FAULTS NOTED. GENERAL INSPECTION OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO DAMAGE, AND ALL ASSOCIATED OIL AND FUEL SYSTEM LINES APPEARED TO BE PROPERLY ATTACHED. THE EXHAUST AREA OF THE ENGINE WAS NOTED AS CONTAINING "METAL SPLASHING INDICATIONS" FROM SOME SORT OF MELTED SUBSTANCE. THE COMPRESSOR INLET WAS INSPECTED FOR CONDITION. FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGEWAS NOTED DUE TO CRASH DAMAGED COMPONENTS ENTERING THE ENGINE DURING OPERATION. THIS INGESTION OF MATERIAL WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE "METAL SPLASHING" NOTED IN THE EXHAUST AREA OF THE ENGINE. THE NTSB IS TO SEND ENGINE TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER TESTING OF THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND POSSIBLE ENGINE TEST RUN, IF COMPRESSOR DAMAGE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE FOR AN OPERATIONAL TEST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.