Incident Overview
A helicopter suffered a power interruption followed by an engine failure while on the downwind leg for a heliport. The pilot initiated an autorotation aiming for railroad tracks. During the maneuver, the pilot saw wires and took evasive action to avoid them. This resulted in a loss of rotor RPM, and the helicopter subsequently crashed onto the railroad tracks and rolled over.
Post-Accident Inspection
An inspection of the helicopter revealed mechanical issues related to the fuel system. The bypass hose from the engine fuel pump filter to the fuel filter pressure switch was found twisted. Additionally, the fitting on the fuel filter was loose and could be turned with finger pressure.
Findings
The exact sequence of events leading to the power interruption and engine failure was not determined, but the inspection identified the twisted hose and loose fitting, which may have affected fuel delivery. No other contributing factors were stated in the source.