What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The Bell 47 departed rensselar, in airport (rzl) after topping off both fuel tanks, enroute to wabasis lake airport (M180) in greenville, MI. At approx 1530 EDT, the aircraft experienced a complete engine failure/power loss. The pilot entered into autorotatioin to land in a field. During the flare to landing, the tail struck a post in the field that was about 6 feet high. The pilot corrected for this sudden pitch change and dropped the collective to get the aircraft down. The tail boom was severed, the skid cross beams were buckled, and the engine/transmission mount structure sustained cracks and deformation. State police first on scene, verified that the left fuel tank was empty and the right fuel tank was full. FAA investigation found the fuel vent system totally blocked at the right tank, mostly blocked at the lower common drain and partially blocked from the t-fitting to the left tank.
As the FAA filed it
THE BELL 47 DEPARTED RENSSELAR, IN AIRPORT (RZL) AFTER TOPPING OFF BOTH FUEL TANKS, ENROUTE TO WABASIS LAKE AIRPORT (M180) IN GREENVILLE, MI. AT APPROX 1530 EDT, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/POWER LOSS. THE PILOT ENTERED INTO AUTOROTATIOIN TO LAND IN A FIELD. DURING THE FLARE TO LANDING, THE TAIL STRUCK A POST IN THE FIELD THAT WAS ABOUT 6 FEET HIGH. THE PILOT CORRECTED FOR THIS SUDDEN PITCH CHANGE AND DROPPED THE COLLECTIVE TO GET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED, THE SKID CROSS BEAMS WERE BUCKLED, AND THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION MOUNT STRUCTURE SUSTAINED CRACKS AND DEFORMATION. STATE POLICE FIRST ON SCENE, VERIFIED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS FULL. FAA INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FUEL VENT SYSTEM TOTALLY BLOCKED AT THE RIGHT TANK, MOSTLY BLOCKED AT THE LOWER COMMON DRAIN AND PARTIALLY BLOCKED FROM THE T-FITTING TO THE LEFT TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9526 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.