LITTLE VALLEY, NY, USA
N8690F
HUGHES 500
ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF IN HEAVY, WET, BLOWING SNOW, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AT THAT TIME, THE HELICOPTER WAS AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. AT THE FIRST INDICATION OF A POWER LOSS, THE PILOT INITIATED AND COMPLETED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM. THE AUTO REIGNITION FUNCTIONED AND THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING AT THE TIME OF LANDING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR HAD BECOME COMPLETELY CLOGGED WITH SNOW. THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE ADVANCE WARNING FROM THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE SENSOR AND COCKPIT WARNING LIGHT SYSTEM. THEREFORE, HE DID NOT MANUALLY RELEASE THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR BYPASS DOOR PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FLAME-OUT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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