What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 8, 2020, a Hughes OH-6A, N6186U, was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and subsequent autorotation near Preston, Georgia. The pilot and 1 crew member sustained minor injuries and both were hospitalized. The helicopter was registered to the U.S. Department of agriculture and was currently being operated as public use. The pilot reported during normal operation a loss of engine power and rotor RPM. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft towards an open field away from trees. The pilot noted he checked engine throttle and increased engine beep to max but continually was losing power. Once approximately 2 feet from the ground the aircraft had no more lift and had little forward speed. The aircraft contacted the ground and began to shake itself apart including the main rotors and tail boom. The previous day, the aircraft had problems starting. The pilot later stated the aircraft was having issues and landed. Operations were suspended until a mechanic was able to look at it. The morning of the accident a mechanic showed up and inspected the aircraft (see statement) and replaced the N2 governor. The pilot performed test runs for approximately 20 minutes with no discrepancies. Pilot stated N2 issue was corrected.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 8, 2020, A HUGHES OH-6A, N6186U, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT AUTOROTATION NEAR PRESTON, GEORGIA. THE PILOT AND 1 CREW MEMBER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND BOTH WERE HOSPITALIZED. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND WAS CURRENTLY BEING OPERATED AS PUBLIC USE. THE PILOT REPORTED DURING NORMAL OPERATION A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND ROTOR RPM. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARDS AN OPEN FIELD AWAY FROM TREES. THE PILOT NOTED HE CHECKED ENGINE THROTTLE AND INCREASED ENGINE BEEP TO MAX BUT CONTINUALLY WAS LOSING POWER. ONCE APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET FROM THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO MORE LIFT AND HAD LITTLE FORWARD SPEED. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND AND BEGAN TO SHAKE ITSELF APART INCLUDING THE MAIN ROTORS AND TAIL BOOM. THE PREVIOUS DAY, THE AIRCRAFT HAD PROBLEMS STARTING. THE PILOT LATER STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS HAVING ISSUES AND LANDED. OPERATIONS WERE SUSPENDED UNTIL A MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT IT. THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT A MECHANIC SHOWED UP AND INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT (SEE STATEMENT) AND REPLACED THE N2 GOVERNOR. THE PILOT PERFORMED TEST RUNS FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES WITH NO DISCREPANCIES. PILOT STATED N2 ISSUE WAS CORRECTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.