What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) In cruise flight near Mcmurray, WA, a bang was heard coming from engine. There was a loss of power. Pilot set up for an emergency landing in "clear cut". Engine was continuing to run but would not produce power. Upon reapplication of power the engine produced popping sounds and ran rough. PIC autorotated into the clear cut area. Forward left skid dug into the marshy ground and the helicopter came to rest on the right side (pilot door down). The tailboom broke over top of the canopy. Pilot and passenger exited aircraft and hiked out of the accident site. Pilot had cuts/scratches and passenger had no injuries. Summary of FSDO on site investigation of N56PH: on July 10, 2004 the NTSB authorized a conditional release of the helicopter N56PH. It was allowed to be removed from the wetland area and transported to a storage area. On July 12, 2004 the NTSB authorized the aircraft to be transported to precision helicopters in Oregon once it was removed from the accident site. On July 13, 2004 the wreckage was removed from the accident site by helicopter. Inspector rod ziegler from the seattle FSDO was at the staging area to inspect the helicopter wreckage after it was flown out of the accident site. From there N56PH was transported to precision helicopters where a detailed engine inspection could be accomplished under the supervision of their pmi from the portland FSDO. On August 2, 2004, I contacted al dilay of the portland FSDO to see what his findings were. Inspector dilay stated the engine was run and it ran without any problem. It was run up to 3100 RPM. The exact cause of the loss of engine power is not known.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) IN CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR MCMURRAY, WA, A BANG WAS HEARD COMING FROM ENGINE. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER. PILOT SET UP FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN "CLEAR CUT". ENGINE WAS CONTINUING TO RUN BUT WOULD NOT PRODUCE POWER. UPON REAPPLICATION OF POWER THE ENGINE PRODUCED POPPING SOUNDS AND RAN ROUGH. PIC AUTOROTATED INTO THE CLEAR CUT AREA. FORWARD LEFT SKID DUG INTO THE MARSHY GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE (PILOT DOOR DOWN). THE TAILBOOM BROKE OVER TOP OF THE CANOPY. PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED AIRCRAFT AND HIKED OUT OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. PILOT HAD CUTS/SCRATCHES AND PASSENGER HAD NO INJURIES. SUMMARY OF FSDO ON SITE INVESTIGATION OF N56PH: ON JULY 10, 2004 THE NTSB AUTHORIZED A CONDITIONAL RELEASE OF THE HELICOPTER N56PH. IT WAS ALLOWED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE WETLAND AREA AND TRANSPORTED TO A STORAGE AREA. ON JULY 12, 2004 THE NTSB AUTHORIZED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE TRANSPORTED TO PRECISION HELICOPTERS IN OREGON ONCE IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. ON JULY 13, 2004 THE WRECKAGE WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE BY HELICOPTER. INSPECTOR ROD ZIEGLER FROM THE SEATTLE FSDO WAS AT THE STAGING AREA TO INSPECT THE HELICOPTER WRECKAGE AFTER IT WAS FLOWN OUT OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. FROM THERE N56PH WAS TRANSPORTED TO PRECISION HELICOPTERS WHERE A DETAILED ENGINE INSPECTION COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THEIR PMI FROM THE PORTLAND FSDO. ON AUGUST 2, 2004, I CONTACTED AL DILAY OF THE PORTLAND FSDO TO SEE WHAT HIS FINDINGS WERE. INSPECTOR DILAY STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUN AND IT RAN WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. IT WAS RUN UP TO 3100 RPM. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IS NOT KNOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.