What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 2, 2022, at approximately 20:15 CST,privacy data omittedsustained substantial damage during an autorotation landing at the Greenville Airport (gre) in Greenville, Illinois. The pilot in command (PIC) stated that he had been conducting part 137 agricultural aircraft operations in privacy data omitted the entire day prior to the accident flight. The accident flight was a part 91 flight to return the PIC, aircraft, and two ground crew members to the mount vernon airport (mvn) which is operator's home airport. During the flight to mvn, privacy data omitted encountered stronger than expected headwinds and the PIC made the decision to land at gre to add fuel. During the refueling stop at gre, the aircraft received 20 additional gallons of fuel. Total fuel on board after refueling was approximately 40 gallons. During the departure from gre the PIC, the PIC stated that the low RPM light came on at approximately 200 feet above ground level (AGL). The PIC stated that he lowered the collective and applied forward cyclic in order to maintain rotor RPM. After those inputs, the PIC stated that the low RPM light extinguished, but that the engine "didn't sound right". The PIC stated that he executed a 180 degree turn to return to gre. The PIC stated that during the descent back into gre, the low RPM light illuminated again and the engine noise reduced. The PIC stated that he added 100 percent power and full down collective, but the rotor RPM did not recover. At approximately 35 to 50 feet, the PIC stated that he began to flare and apply collective to cushion the landing. During the initial wreckage examination, it was noted that the hard landing had caused the landing gear cross tube to breach the fuel tank. This resulted in a majority of the fuel onboard being spilled into the soil around the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 2, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 20:15 CST,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN AUTOROTATION LANDING AT THE GREENVILLE AIRPORT (GRE) IN GREENVILLE, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN CONDUCTING PART 137 AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE ENTIRE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS A PART 91 FLIGHT TO RETURN THE PIC, AIRCRAFT, AND TWO GROUND CREW MEMBERS TO THE MOUNT VERNON AIRPORT (MVN) WHICH IS OPERATOR'S HOME AIRPORT. DURING THE FLIGHT TO MVN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ENCOUNTERED STRONGER THAN EXPECTED HEADWINDS AND THE PIC MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AT GRE TO ADD FUEL. DURING THE REFUELING STOP AT GRE, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED 20 ADDITIONAL GALLONS OF FUEL. TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD AFTER REFUELING WAS APPROXIMATELY 40 GALLONS. DURING THE DEPARTURE FROM GRE THE PIC, THE PIC STATED THAT THE LOW RPM LIGHT CAME ON AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). THE PIC STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM. AFTER THOSE INPUTS, THE PIC STATED THAT THE LOW RPM LIGHT EXTINGUISHED, BUT THAT THE ENGINE "DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT". THE PIC STATED THAT HE EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO RETURN TO GRE. THE PIC STATED THAT DURING THE DESCENT BACK INTO GRE, THE LOW RPM LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE NOISE REDUCED. THE PIC STATED THAT HE ADDED 100 PERCENT POWER AND FULL DOWN COLLECTIVE, BUT THE ROTOR RPM DID NOT RECOVER. AT APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 50 FEET, THE PIC STATED THAT HE BEGAN TO FLARE AND APPLY COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE LANDING. DURING THE INITIAL WRECKAGE EXAMINATION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE HARD LANDING HAD CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR CROSS TUBE TO BREACH THE FUEL TANK. THIS RESULTED IN A MAJORITY OF THE FUEL ONBOARD BEING SPILLED INTO THE SOIL AROUND THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.