Helicopter Settles During Emergency Landing After Engine Failure Indication (N5018L)

Incident Details

A helicopter performed an emergency landing after the pilot indicated an engine failure. According to the pilot's written statement, the aircraft had been running for approximately 15 minutes before takeoff with the anti-ice system operating. The pilot lifted into a hover at 6 to 7 feet above ground level to check for any obstructions attached to the skids. The helicopter then moved sideways from the landing zone to clear blowing snow. After turning into the wind, the pilot began applying power to climb over a fence at about 10 to 15 feet above ground level. At an airspeed of roughly 10 to 15 miles per hour, the engine-out light illuminated and an associated warning horn sounded. The pilot applied right torque pedal to correct for yaw. The helicopter began to settle, and the pilot applied collective control to arrest the descent. The aircraft landed on the opposite side of a ditch. The main rotor rpm decayed, and the helicopter rocked nose to tail. The main rotor blades struck the tail boom during the event.

Investigation Findings

The investigation revealed that the helicopter had received minor maintenance on the day of the accident, which consisted of changing the pitch chain links on the main rotor blades. After the accident, the engine was tested and ran normally at all power settings.