SUN, LA, USA
N339MC
BELL 47-D1
THE PILOT HAD JUST DEPARTED A LOCAL FAIR GROUNDS WITH TWO PAYING PASSENGERS ON BOARD. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET, A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. THE PILOT INITIATED A 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATION IN ORDER TO CLEAR THE POPULATED AREA. THE AVAILABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING WAS NOT LEVEL. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN, ROTOR RPM DECREASED DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY OF CONDUCTING A SLOPE LANDING. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAILBOOM OF THE HELICOPTER
THE TOTAL LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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