What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 28, 2004, at 0935 local time an American Eurocopter AS-355-N, serial number 5569, registered as N355CV crashed near League City, TX. The aircraft attempted an autorotation in a field after the pilot noted a loss of engine power in cruise flight after making a collective input. The aircraft came to rest on its right side with the tail boom severely bent and damaged and the tail rotor gear box and tail rotor blades had broken off the aircraft. The main rotors were attached but severely damaged showing signs of high energy impacts. The fuselage was bent and broken in numerous locations including the main beams and structure. The passengers and pilot statements were all consistent; the pilot turned and noted that the aircraft had lost power at approximately 700 feet AGL. Investigation at the crash site by factory rep's from Eurocopter and turbomeca could not find any discrepancies with the helicopter and the aircraft was taken to "das" for further investigation. Engine and transmission teardown and test cell runs area scheduled at the manufacturers in arlington, Texas.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 28, 2004, AT 0935 LOCAL TIME AN AMERICAN EUROCOPTER AS-355-N, SERIAL NUMBER 5569, REGISTERED AS N355CV CRASHED NEAR LEAGUE CITY, TX. THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED AN AUTOROTATION IN A FIELD AFTER THE PILOT NOTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN CRUISE FLIGHT AFTER MAKING A COLLECTIVE INPUT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WITH THE TAIL BOOM SEVERELY BENT AND DAMAGED AND THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES HAD BROKEN OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE MAIN ROTORS WERE ATTACHED BUT SEVERELY DAMAGED SHOWING SIGNS OF HIGH ENERGY IMPACTS. THE FUSELAGE WAS BENT AND BROKEN IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS INCLUDING THE MAIN BEAMS AND STRUCTURE. THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT STATEMENTS WERE ALL CONSISTENT; THE PILOT TURNED AND NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD LOST POWER AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AGL. INVESTIGATION AT THE CRASH SITE BY FACTORY REP'S FROM EUROCOPTER AND TURBOMECA COULD NOT FIND ANY DISCREPANCIES WITH THE HELICOPTER AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAKEN TO "DAS" FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TEARDOWN AND TEST CELL RUNS AREA SCHEDULED AT THE MANUFACTURERS IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.