What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was flying with one passenger to glendale airport, AZ from double eagle airport, NM when he made a fuel stop at Show Low airport, AZ. After topping off the aircraft with 32.7 gallons of fuel, the pilot proceeded on to glendale airport.
After lifting off, the pilot turned the aircraft approximately 90 degrees to the right (north-westbound) and accelerated. The pilot then noted that the engine and rotor RPM began to go down in which he rolled on the throttle and continued forward flight.
The pilot then noted that the engine and rotor RPM continued to go down in which he rolled on more throttle but began to descend from approximately 5 feet above the ground which led to the aircraft settling until it impacted the ground. Note; the aircraft was flown from a level hard surface to over a grassy depression as event occurred.
An inspection of the aircraft and records revealed no discrepancies with the flight or engine controls. The inspection of the engine was limited to a visual inspection while installed in the aircraft but no discrepancies were noted.
Records for the fuel bought at the Show Low airport showed no discrepancies.
Field elevation is 6415 ft. and the temperature at time of departure was 52 degrees f. pilot reported his weight as 200 lbs. And his passenger as 230 lbs. Baggage on board was approximately 10 lbs. Estimated gross weight was 2328 lbs which is borderline within the operating limitations in the flight manual. Flight manual does contain a note that states; ?takeoffs and landings at 2350 lbs. Gross weight were demonstrated during FAA type inspection testes up to 7,000 ft. density altitude. Operators should use appropriate caution above 7,000 ft. density altitude and limit gross weight as required to insure safe takeoffs and landings.? Calculated density altitude was approximately 7400 ft. at time of accident.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS FLYING WITH ONE PASSENGER TO GLENDALE AIRPORT, AZ FROM DOUBLE EAGLE AIRPORT, NM WHEN HE MADE A FUEL STOP AT SHOW LOW AIRPORT, AZ. AFTER TOPPING OFF THE AIRCRAFT WITH 32.7 GALLONS OF FUEL, THE PILOT PROCEEDED ON TO GLENDALE AIRPORT.
AFTER LIFTING OFF, THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT (NORTH-WESTBOUND) AND ACCELERATED. THE PILOT THEN NOTED THAT THE ENGINE AND ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO GO DOWN IN WHICH HE ROLLED ON THE THROTTLE AND CONTINUED FORWARD FLIGHT.
THE PILOT THEN NOTED THAT THE ENGINE AND ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO GO DOWN IN WHICH HE ROLLED ON MORE THROTTLE BUT BEGAN TO DESCEND FROM APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHICH LED TO THE AIRCRAFT SETTLING UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. NOTE; THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN FROM A LEVEL HARD SURFACE TO OVER A GRASSY DEPRESSION AS EVENT OCCURRED.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND RECORDS REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE FLIGHT OR ENGINE CONTROLS. THE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE WAS LIMITED TO A VISUAL INSPECTION WHILE INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT BUT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED.
RECORDS FOR THE FUEL BOUGHT AT THE SHOW LOW AIRPORT SHOWED NO DISCREPANCIES.
FIELD ELEVATION IS 6415 FT. AND THE TEMPERATURE AT TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS 52 DEGREES F. PILOT REPORTED HIS WEIGHT AS 200 LBS. AND HIS PASSENGER AS 230 LBS. BAGGAGE ON BOARD WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 LBS. ESTIMATED GROSS WEIGHT WAS 2328 LBS WHICH IS BORDERLINE WITHIN THE OPERATING LIMITATIONS IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL. FLIGHT MANUAL DOES CONTAIN A NOTE THAT STATES; ?TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT 2350 LBS. GROSS WEIGHT WERE DEMONSTRATED DURING FAA TYPE INSPECTION TESTES UP TO 7,000 FT. DENSITY ALTITUDE. OPERATORS SHOULD USE APPROPRIATE CAUTION ABOVE 7,000 FT. DENSITY ALTITUDE AND LIMIT GROSS WEIGHT AS REQUIRED TO INSURE SAFE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS.? CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7400 FT. AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.