What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While in cruise flight the aircraft experienced a loss of power and subsequent flameout of the engine. Pilot initiated an auto rotation into a canyon. The aircraft came to rest in a heavily wooded area with severe damage to the airframe including tailboom, tail rotor, and stabilizers. Aircraft rolled over onto to its side. The pilot escaped without injury and walked out to contact help. Following day aircraft was recovered and trailered to a hanger. During examination of the engine, a fuel drain cap was found loose and no fuel was found in the fuel supply lines to the fuel nozzle. Engine is being sent to indianapolis test facility for runs and further examination.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FLAMEOUT OF THE ENGINE. PILOT INITIATED AN AUTO ROTATION INTO A CANYON. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA WITH SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME INCLUDING TAILBOOM, TAIL ROTOR, AND STABILIZERS. AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ONTO TO ITS SIDE. THE PILOT ESCAPED WITHOUT INJURY AND WALKED OUT TO CONTACT HELP. FOLLOWING DAY AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND TRAILERED TO A HANGER. DURING EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, A FUEL DRAIN CAP WAS FOUND LOOSE AND NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SUPPLY LINES TO THE FUEL NOZZLE. ENGINE IS BEING SENT TO INDIANAPOLIS TEST FACILITY FOR RUNS AND FURTHER EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.