What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 4,2021 at aprox 0015L, N820H helicopter crashed while being used for rotor downwash of warm privacy data omittedonto corn crops, in order to maintain temperatures above 32 degree's fahrenheit. The pilot was on an eastbound pass, at flight level of 40-45 feet AGL while nearing end of a crop row, experienced a low rotor warning horn with a red master caution illumination light on glareshield. The pilot was able to clear an irrigation ditch with sufficient forward momentum to land the aircraft onto the adjacent sugar cane field. The aircraft dropped hard and rolled on its left side as engine was still running. Engine and battery shutdown procedure occured as both the pilot and passenger evacuated aircraft. The passenger noticed initial fire was ignited by the cane stalk leaves, as they came in contact with the turbine exhaust. The helicopter was fully engulfed thereafter, and occupants suffered no injuries. Per our coversation with the pilot, the helicopter had 45 + 15 minutes of fuel remaining when loss of engine RPM occurred, just prior to accident. Cause of accident presently under investigation by the NTSB and engine manufacture rolls royce.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 4,2021 AT APROX 0015L, N820H HELICOPTER CRASHED WHILE BEING USED FOR ROTOR DOWNWASH OF WARM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ONTO CORN CROPS, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN TEMPERATURES ABOVE 32 DEGREE'S FAHRENHEIT. THE PILOT WAS ON AN EASTBOUND PASS, AT FLIGHT LEVEL OF 40-45 FEET AGL WHILE NEARING END OF A CROP ROW, EXPERIENCED A LOW ROTOR WARNING HORN WITH A RED MASTER CAUTION ILLUMINATION LIGHT ON GLARESHIELD. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CLEAR AN IRRIGATION DITCH WITH SUFFICIENT FORWARD MOMENTUM TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE ADJACENT SUGAR CANE FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED HARD AND ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE AS ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. ENGINE AND BATTERY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE OCCURED AS BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EVACUATED AIRCRAFT. THE PASSENGER NOTICED INITIAL FIRE WAS IGNITED BY THE CANE STALK LEAVES, AS THEY CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE TURBINE EXHAUST. THE HELICOPTER WAS FULLY ENGULFED THEREAFTER, AND OCCUPANTS SUFFERED NO INJURIES. PER OUR COVERSATION WITH THE PILOT, THE HELICOPTER HAD 45 + 15 MINUTES OF FUEL REMAINING WHEN LOSS OF ENGINE RPM OCCURRED, JUST PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. CAUSE OF ACCIDENT PRESENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NTSB AND ENGINE MANUFACTURE ROLLS ROYCE.
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 N820H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.