LAKELAND, FL, USA
N618VN
BURCH ROTORWAY EXEC
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING IN VFR CONDITIONS WHEN THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION. AT 30-40 FEET AGL A DECELERATION WAS INITIATED AND COLLECTIVE PITCH WAS APPLIED AT 3-7 FEET AGL. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD WITH FORWARD MOVEMENT AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER SKIDDED FORWARD AND THE TIP OF THE LEFT SKID BECAME IMBEDDED IN A MOUND OF DIRT. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME BY THE FAA AND THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT REVEALED THE LEFT SKID SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE WELD JOINT ON THE SKID SUPPORT STRUT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR ROTORWAY INTERNATIONAL FOR THE REGISTERED OWNER REVEALED AN EXHAUST VALVE ON THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER HAD FAILED.
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER APPLICATION OF CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. THIS RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING, COLLISION OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WITH THE TAILBOOM, AND SUBSEQUENT ROLL OVER OF THE HELICOPTER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBY EXHAUST VALVE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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