What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The helicopter was descending out of 2400 feet, seven miles from the airport of intended landing. Suddenly the aicraft rolled to the right (starboard) approximately between 110 and 130 degrees of roll (inverted). The aircraft shuddered with a severe vibration. The caution panel and engine out lights illuminated and the engine out horn sounded. The pilot nutralized the pedals and applied left cylic to right the aircraft and it responded slowly at first. The pilot entered autorotation to a small field and touched down with no further damage. The engine was at idle, but running. The pilot then did a normal shutdown. Upon post flight inspection it was discovered there had been a bird strike. There were two minor dents in the lower vertical fin and a thumb size dent about .0030 deep in one of the four tail rotor blades.
As the FAA filed it
THE HELICOPTER WAS DESCENDING OUT OF 2400 FEET, SEVEN MILES FROM THE AIRPORT OF INTENDED LANDING. SUDDENLY THE AICRAFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT (STARBOARD) APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 110 AND 130 DEGREES OF ROLL (INVERTED). THE AIRCRAFT SHUDDERED WITH A SEVERE VIBRATION. THE CAUTION PANEL AND ENGINE OUT LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE OUT HORN SOUNDED. THE PILOT NUTRALIZED THE PEDALS AND APPLIED LEFT CYLIC TO RIGHT THE AIRCRAFT AND IT RESPONDED SLOWLY AT FIRST. THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION TO A SMALL FIELD AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. THE ENGINE WAS AT IDLE, BUT RUNNING. THE PILOT THEN DID A NORMAL SHUTDOWN. UPON POST FLIGHT INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE HAD BEEN A BIRD STRIKE. THERE WERE TWO MINOR DENTS IN THE LOWER VERTICAL FIN AND A THUMB SIZE DENT ABOUT .0030 DEEP IN ONE OF THE FOUR TAIL ROTOR BLADES.
Other reports on N438RC · 1
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