20070804828379I

Incident · Substantial damage

FAA incident report · Bell 222 · Aurora, IL · August 4, 2007

Date: August 4, 2007 · 05:15 local
Place: Aurora, IL
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: X34A
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N990AA
Reported as: Bell 222
Reported engine: Lycoming LTS101650C3
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0

N990AARegistration cancelled Sep 14, 2009 · Bell 222S/N 47075 · Built 1982 Airframe modelBell 222 Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) While circling an automobile accident the helicopter lost power. The PIC stated that the low rotor speed horn sounded and caution light came on. The PIC also stated that he could hear the rotor speed start to decay. The PIC entered an autorotation to the ground with a light to moderate thump. The PIC and crew exited the aircraft. Upon exiting the PIC and crew noticed smoke and fire from the #1 engine.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE CIRCLING AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT THE HELICOPTER LOST POWER. THE PIC STATED THAT THE LOW ROTOR SPEED HORN SOUNDED AND CAUTION LIGHT CAME ON. THE PIC ALSO STATED THAT HE COULD HEAR THE ROTOR SPEED START TO DECAY. THE PIC ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE GROUND WITH A LIGHT TO MODERATE THUMP. THE PIC AND CREW EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. UPON EXITING THE PIC AND CREW NOTICED SMOKE AND FIRE FROM THE #1 ENGINE.