What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative:
Facts or sequence of events that are relevant to the accident.
From a position on the ground, the pilot increased throttle while increasing collective and commencing a climbing turn to the left- beginning an acceleration to climb.
Starting climb, pilot noted a slight decaying of rotor RPM (from 350 down to 330 or so) as he headed toward obstructions (field sprinkler system (pivot) and power lines).
Before getting close to the power line, the pilot slightly reduced the collective (while increasing throttle) to effect a rotor RPM increase.
However, as stated by pilot, corrections were not enough to allow the necessary rotor RPM increase as he approached the obstacles, so he pulled additional collective, further degrading the rotor RPM but aircraft was able to clear obsticles (sprinkler system (pivot) and power lines).
At this point he believes his rotor RPM, engine RPM were minimum but continuing to degrade still more after his adjustments.
The pilot stated that he should have been more aggressive (sooner) on the throttle increase and collective reduction.
Pilot stated that he does not believe his airspeed ever exceeded 40 miles per hour.
After crossing the power lines, rotor and engine RPM were well below minimums (rotor 332 RPM and engine 2,750 RPM) and aircraft altitude between 50-75 feet and settling. Pilot did not believe he could recover by attempting collective reduction and increasing throttle, so he committed to landing. To cushion the landing he used all residual rotor inertia and pulled full collective just prior to landing.
As reported by the pilot, no gauges were out of the norm except those readings that were precipitated by his power management.
Pilot does not believe the helicopter had any mechanical issues in this chain of events resulting in this incident.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE:
FACTS OR SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE ACCIDENT.
FROM A POSITION ON THE GROUND, THE PILOT INCREASED THROTTLE WHILE INCREASING COLLECTIVE AND COMMENCING A CLIMBING TURN TO THE LEFT- BEGINNING AN ACCELERATION TO CLIMB.
STARTING CLIMB, PILOT NOTED A SLIGHT DECAYING OF ROTOR RPM (FROM 350 DOWN TO 330 OR SO) AS HE HEADED TOWARD OBSTRUCTIONS (FIELD SPRINKLER SYSTEM (PIVOT) AND POWER LINES).
BEFORE GETTING CLOSE TO THE POWER LINE, THE PILOT SLIGHTLY REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE (WHILE INCREASING THROTTLE) TO EFFECT A ROTOR RPM INCREASE.
HOWEVER, AS STATED BY PILOT, CORRECTIONS WERE NOT ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE NECESSARY ROTOR RPM INCREASE AS HE APPROACHED THE OBSTACLES, SO HE PULLED ADDITIONAL COLLECTIVE, FURTHER DEGRADING THE ROTOR RPM BUT AIRCRAFT WAS ABLE TO CLEAR OBSTICLES (SPRINKLER SYSTEM (PIVOT) AND POWER LINES).
AT THIS POINT HE BELIEVES HIS ROTOR RPM, ENGINE RPM WERE MINIMUM BUT CONTINUING TO DEGRADE STILL MORE AFTER HIS ADJUSTMENTS.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE (SOONER) ON THE THROTTLE INCREASE AND COLLECTIVE REDUCTION.
PILOT STATED THAT HE DOES NOT BELIEVE HIS AIRSPEED EVER EXCEEDED 40 MILES PER HOUR.
AFTER CROSSING THE POWER LINES, ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM WERE WELL BELOW MINIMUMS (ROTOR 332 RPM AND ENGINE 2,750 RPM) AND AIRCRAFT ALTITUDE BETWEEN 50-75 FEET AND SETTLING. PILOT DID NOT BELIEVE HE COULD RECOVER BY ATTEMPTING COLLECTIVE REDUCTION AND INCREASING THROTTLE, SO HE COMMITTED TO LANDING. TO CUSHION THE LANDING HE USED ALL RESIDUAL ROTOR INERTIA AND PULLED FULL COLLECTIVE JUST PRIOR TO LANDING.
AS REPORTED BY THE PILOT, NO GAUGES WERE OUT OF THE NORM EXCEPT THOSE READINGS THAT WERE PRECIPITATED BY HIS POWER MANAGEMENT.
PILOT DOES NOT BELIEVE THE HELICOPTER HAD ANY MECHANICAL ISSUES IN THIS CHAIN OF EVENTS RESULTING IN THIS INCIDENT.
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 N5691Y · 6
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.