What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Performing right hand orbits over a location PIC privacy data omitted came out of the orbit and felt the right anti-torque pedal was stuck. It was diagnosed the emergency condition of a stuck right anti-torque pedal. Attempt to free the pedal with his foot but it was stuck and it gave no movement. Immediately began emergency procedures and increased his airspeed above 60 KIAS.
He then declared his emergency to the sna control tower. The tower acknowledged his emergency and gave clearance to land. The tower communicated the emergency to the appropriate resources then deployed.
PIC privacy data omitted reviewed the on board flight manual section 3-11 ?anti-torque failure-fixed right thruster? Found no other solution and would attempt a run on landing along runway 20 right at sna, which they were given approval.
During the time of the incident ?minimal? Wind. Between the time they declared their emergency and when they advised they were on final approach was approximately 6 minutes. Just prior to the runway, the helicopter pitch up. PIC privacy data omitted said he then fought with the controls and the next thing he remembers was cutting the throttle and landing in the grass off the runway.
Service difficulty report control number 2019FA0000124 was filed on 4/16/2019 at 1739.
As the FAA filed it
PERFORMING RIGHT HAND ORBITS OVER A LOCATION PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CAME OUT OF THE ORBIT AND FELT THE RIGHT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL WAS STUCK. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THE EMERGENCY CONDITION OF A STUCK RIGHT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL. ATTEMPT TO FREE THE PEDAL WITH HIS FOOT BUT IT WAS STUCK AND IT GAVE NO MOVEMENT. IMMEDIATELY BEGAN EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND INCREASED HIS AIRSPEED ABOVE 60 KIAS.
HE THEN DECLARED HIS EMERGENCY TO THE SNA CONTROL TOWER. THE TOWER ACKNOWLEDGED HIS EMERGENCY AND GAVE CLEARANCE TO LAND. THE TOWER COMMUNICATED THE EMERGENCY TO THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES THEN DEPLOYED.
PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REVIEWED THE ON BOARD FLIGHT MANUAL SECTION 3-11 ?ANTI-TORQUE FAILURE-FIXED RIGHT THRUSTER? FOUND NO OTHER SOLUTION AND WOULD ATTEMPT A RUN ON LANDING ALONG RUNWAY 20 RIGHT AT SNA, WHICH THEY WERE GIVEN APPROVAL.
DURING THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT ?MINIMAL? WIND. BETWEEN THE TIME THEY DECLARED THEIR EMERGENCY AND WHEN THEY ADVISED THEY WERE ON FINAL APPROACH WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 MINUTES. JUST PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY, THE HELICOPTER PITCH UP. PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE THEN FOUGHT WITH THE CONTROLS AND THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERS WAS CUTTING THE THROTTLE AND LANDING IN THE GRASS OFF THE RUNWAY.
SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORT CONTROL NUMBER 2019FA0000124 WAS FILED ON 4/16/2019 AT 1739.