What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 15, 2022 at approximately 14:30 local N502HQ (Bell 205) helicopter was conducting training for an initial 205 type model check out. The crew was conducting airwork with different maneuver's being performed. The crew had made several approaches and hover landings with no issues but when they attempted a autorotation's at 1500 AGL the pilot notice they were a little high so the pilot made the decision to perform a right hand 360 degree turn to insure a proper landing sight. During the turn the pilot attempted to advance the throttles and the throttles did not respond on the gauges nor did the engine advance in normal performance. It appears per the pilot's statement that the engine lost 20% of its turbine power (N2) which cause the pilot to get behind the RPM power curve on the dashboard, the pilot was then unable to get positive acceleration from the engine this situation force the pilot to make the decision to landed the aircraft as a result of lost of power to the engine. The aircraft autorotated to a hard landing in an open field. On landing the aircraft rocked forward the backwards on its skids causing the rotor blades to bend low on the aft rotation striking the tail section of the aircraft. The blades tore a large hole in the side if the skin of the tail section and also force the number 5 drive shaft into an over torque condition causing it to twist into failure. On 01-26-2022, the aircraft (N502HQ) was trailered and moved to privacy data omitted located in denver, CO.
On 02-22-2022, I contacted privacy data omitted and requested details of the engine run, I was told the engine was scheduled to be run on Monday 02-28-2022.
On 03-01-2022, I received and txt message from privacy data omitted stating N502HQ engine runs had been completed and stated ? Engine runs have been completed with no indications of any issues. Today the fcu and the governor were removed and installed onto test bench and operationally checked with no indication of fault. I have discussed with privacy data omitted team to dissect the fcu further. I?m hoping for privacy data omitted to provide their report with a day or two. I?ll will forward immediately to you and privacy data omitted.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 15, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:30 LOCAL N502HQ (BELL 205) HELICOPTER WAS CONDUCTING TRAINING FOR AN INITIAL 205 TYPE MODEL CHECK OUT. THE CREW WAS CONDUCTING AIRWORK WITH DIFFERENT MANEUVER'S BEING PERFORMED. THE CREW HAD MADE SEVERAL APPROACHES AND HOVER LANDINGS WITH NO ISSUES BUT WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED A AUTOROTATION'S AT 1500 AGL THE PILOT NOTICE THEY WERE A LITTLE HIGH SO THE PILOT MADE THE DECISION TO PERFORM A RIGHT HAND 360 DEGREE TURN TO INSURE A PROPER LANDING SIGHT. DURING THE TURN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADVANCE THE THROTTLES AND THE THROTTLES DID NOT RESPOND ON THE GAUGES NOR DID THE ENGINE ADVANCE IN NORMAL PERFORMANCE. IT APPEARS PER THE PILOT'S STATEMENT THAT THE ENGINE LOST 20% OF ITS TURBINE POWER (N2) WHICH CAUSE THE PILOT TO GET BEHIND THE RPM POWER CURVE ON THE DASHBOARD, THE PILOT WAS THEN UNABLE TO GET POSITIVE ACCELERATION FROM THE ENGINE THIS SITUATION FORCE THE PILOT TO MAKE THE DECISION TO LANDED THE AIRCRAFT AS A RESULT OF LOST OF POWER TO THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT AUTOROTATED TO A HARD LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. ON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ROCKED FORWARD THE BACKWARDS ON ITS SKIDS CAUSING THE ROTOR BLADES TO BEND LOW ON THE AFT ROTATION STRIKING THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE BLADES TORE A LARGE HOLE IN THE SIDE IF THE SKIN OF THE TAIL SECTION AND ALSO FORCE THE NUMBER 5 DRIVE SHAFT INTO AN OVER TORQUE CONDITION CAUSING IT TO TWIST INTO FAILURE.ON 01-26-2022, THE AIRCRAFT (N502HQ) WAS TRAILERED AND MOVED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOCATED IN DENVER, CO.
ON 02-22-2022, I CONTACTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND REQUESTED DETAILS OF THE ENGINE RUN, I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE RUN ON MONDAY 02-28-2022.
ON 03-01-2022, I RECEIVED AND TXT MESSAGE FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATING N502HQ ENGINE RUNS HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND STATED ? ENGINE RUNS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED WITH NO INDICATIONS OF ANY ISSUES. TODAY THE FCU AND THE GOVERNOR WERE REMOVED AND INSTALLED ONTO TEST BENCH AND OPERATIONALLY CHECKED WITH NO INDICATION OF FAULT. I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TEAM TO DISSECT THE FCU FURTHER. I?M HOPING FOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO PROVIDE THEIR REPORT WITH A DAY OR TWO. I?LL WILL FORWARD IMMEDIATELY TO YOU AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.