Incident Overview
A helicopter was destroyed by fire during a pre-takeoff magneto check. The pilot reported that an intermittent vibration was felt during an initial magneto check before takeoff. During a second magneto check at high power, the nose of the helicopter came up, a loud explosive noise was heard, and a fire erupted near the left fuel tank. The pilot and passenger abandoned the helicopter uninjured, but it was destroyed by the fire.
Maintenance and Wreckage Examination
This was the first flight after maintenance had been completed on the helicopter. An examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures, indicating that the airframe and engine were functioning normally before the event.
Witness Account
A witness stated that when the pilot attempted to take off, the rear end of the right skid caught under a boardwalk. As a result, the helicopter rolled or banked, and the main rotor struck the tail boom. This sequence of events likely led to the subsequent fire and destruction of the helicopter.