What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot attempted his first flight of his experimental helicopter when he reported that his engine quit running at about 300' AGL. After performing ground checks and hovers, he elected to fly the aircraft when he reported engine coolant temperature rising prior to engine quitting. The pilot privacy data omitted had not flown a helicopter in several years and decided to pursue flight operations once again. At the time of his flight, the pilot privacy data omitted did not have a current medical certificate nor a pilots certificate for presentation. At the scene of the accident, an attempt to find fuel inside of the fuel tanks was difficult and a real determination was not evident. The right tank appeared to only have approximately an inch and a half of fuel, while the left tank cap was lodged against a tree and was not able to be removed. By tapping on the plastic tank, it was determined that only a small amount of fuel remained in the lower cavity of the tear drop shaped tank. N5436X was flown without a current condition inspection, without an airworthiness certificate and did not have any maintenance records that were purchased with the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED HIS FIRST FLIGHT OF HIS EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER WHEN HE REPORTED THAT HIS ENGINE QUIT RUNNING AT ABOUT 300' AGL. AFTER PERFORMING GROUND CHECKS AND HOVERS, HE ELECTED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT WHEN HE REPORTED ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE RISING PRIOR TO ENGINE QUITTING. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ HAD NOT FLOWN A HELICOPTER IN SEVERAL YEARS AND DECIDED TO PURSUE FLIGHT OPERATIONS ONCE AGAIN. AT THE TIME OF HIS FLIGHT, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE NOR A PILOTS CERTIFICATE FOR PRESENTATION. AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, AN ATTEMPT TO FIND FUEL INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANKS WAS DIFFICULT AND A REAL DETERMINATION WAS NOT EVIDENT. THE RIGHT TANK APPEARED TO ONLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY AN INCH AND A HALF OF FUEL, WHILE THE LEFT TANK CAP WAS LODGED AGAINST A TREE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REMOVED. BY TAPPING ON THE PLASTIC TANK, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE LOWER CAVITY OF THE TEAR DROP SHAPED TANK. N5436X WAS FLOWN WITHOUT A CURRENT CONDITION INSPECTION, WITHOUT AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND DID NOT HAVE ANY MAINTENANCE RECORDS THAT WERE PURCHASED WITH THE HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.