What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 5, 2023, at 1520, a Boeing CH-46 helicopter, privacy data omitted, was performing firefighting operations under contract with the bureau of land management (blm) in response to the corduroy fire, under the operational control of the us forest service, 24 miles sw of Springerville AZ.
The pilot and crew reported that after filling the water bucket and climbing toward the fire there was a loud horn and #2 engine runway/high siding. The PIC turned to a known landing area for an emergency landing and emptied the bucket of water. The PIC stated he retarded #2 ecl and torque responded. On final the rate of descent increased and he was unable to correct it. The PIC says he responded by releasing the bucket and moving the #2 ecl to the fly position to get any available power from the engine.
The aircraft landed hard and rolled onto its right side and caught on fire. The pilot, co-pilot, and crew chief evacuated the aircraft and were not injured. The aircraft was destroyed in the post crash fire.
The engines were shipped to privacy data omittedfor inspection where nothing significant was noted. What remained of the other helicopter debris was also inspected with nothing significant found.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 5, 2023, AT 1520, A BOEING CH-46 HELICOPTER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS PERFORMING FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) IN RESPONSE TO THE CORDUROY FIRE, UNDER THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE US FOREST SERVICE, 24 MILES SW OF SPRINGERVILLE AZ.
THE PILOT AND CREW REPORTED THAT AFTER FILLING THE WATER BUCKET AND CLIMBING TOWARD THE FIRE THERE WAS A LOUD HORN AND #2 ENGINE RUNWAY/HIGH SIDING. THE PIC TURNED TO A KNOWN LANDING AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND EMPTIED THE BUCKET OF WATER. THE PIC STATED HE RETARDED #2 ECL AND TORQUE RESPONDED. ON FINAL THE RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT IT. THE PIC SAYS HE RESPONDED BY RELEASING THE BUCKET AND MOVING THE #2 ECL TO THE FLY POSITION TO GET ANY AVAILABLE POWER FROM THE ENGINE.
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE PILOT, CO-PILOT, AND CREW CHIEF EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST CRASH FIRE.
THE ENGINES WERE SHIPPED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^FOR INSPECTION WHERE NOTHING SIGNIFICANT WAS NOTED. WHAT REMAINED OF THE OTHER HELICOPTER DEBRIS WAS ALSO INSPECTED WITH NOTHING SIGNIFICANT FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.