What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 14, 2016, about 1550 pacific daylight time, a Bell 206 L1 helicopter, N1076Y, was substantially damaged during an autorotative landing attempt near Bishop, California, following a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The helicopter was owned and operated by a private company under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight that departed corona municipal airport (ajo), corona, California, at approximately 1320. The personal flight was destined for mammoth yosemite airport (mmh), mammoth, California.
According to the pilot, the flight departed ajo with 98 gallons of fuel on board. After more than 2 hours of flight in headwinds the pilot decided to land at a local airport to refuel. While the helicopter descended through 9,000 feet mean sea level, the pilot heard an explosion in the engine compartment and immediately felt the helicopter vibrate. He then observed an engine out indication and quickly initiated an autorotation. During the helicopter's descent to land, the pilot made two attempts to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. He pulled the collective early to avoid landing in a ditch, but the helicopter impacted the ground hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 14, 2016, ABOUT 1550 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206 L1 HELICOPTER, N1076Y, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING ATTEMPT NEAR BISHOP, CALIFORNIA, FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE COMPANY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED CORONA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (AJO), CORONA, CALIFORNIA, AT APPROXIMATELY 1320. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS DESTINED FOR MAMMOTH YOSEMITE AIRPORT (MMH), MAMMOTH, CALIFORNIA.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AJO WITH 98 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. AFTER MORE THAN 2 HOURS OF FLIGHT IN HEADWINDS THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND AT A LOCAL AIRPORT TO REFUEL. WHILE THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED THROUGH 9,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE PILOT HEARD AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IMMEDIATELY FELT THE HELICOPTER VIBRATE. HE THEN OBSERVED AN ENGINE OUT INDICATION AND QUICKLY INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION. DURING THE HELICOPTER'S DESCENT TO LAND, THE PILOT MADE TWO ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE PULLED THE COLLECTIVE EARLY TO AVOID LANDING IN A DITCH, BUT THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.