What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed ver 267 enroute to ver 78, chip detector light illuminated, engine started making metal sound, and aircraft started losing rotor RPM. Once the RPM was stabilized at approximately 100 percent pilot depressed the fadec auto/man button to mute the fadac fail horn. Approximately 5-10 seconds after the fadac failed, pilot perceived the aircraft to shudder or shimmy in the yaw axis, and felt the aircraft sink. Rotor RPM began to decay at a very rapid rate. Pilot immediately entered autorotation with full down collective and called "mayday" to flight following. Pilot's altitude at this point was 4-500 feet. Pilot armed the floats and performed an autorotation landing to the water without damage to the aircraft or passengers.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED VER 267 ENROUTE TO VER 78, CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ENGINE STARTED MAKING METAL SOUND, AND AIRCRAFT STARTED LOSING ROTOR RPM. ONCE THE RPM WAS STABILIZED AT APPROXIMATELY 100 PERCENT PILOT DEPRESSED THE FADEC AUTO/MAN BUTTON TO MUTE THE FADAC FAIL HORN. APPROXIMATELY 5-10 SECONDS AFTER THE FADAC FAILED, PILOT PERCEIVED THE AIRCRAFT TO SHUDDER OR SHIMMY IN THE YAW AXIS, AND FELT THE AIRCRAFT SINK. ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY AT A VERY RAPID RATE. PILOT IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AUTOROTATION WITH FULL DOWN COLLECTIVE AND CALLED "MAYDAY" TO FLIGHT FOLLOWING. PILOT'S ALTITUDE AT THIS POINT WAS 4-500 FEET. PILOT ARMED THE FLOATS AND PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION LANDING TO THE WATER WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT OR PASSENGERS.
Other reports on N167RL · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.