Event Description
An agricultural flight was in progress when, at approximately 5 feet above ground level, the pilot heard a loud bang. The engine subsequently oversped, and all power to the rotor blades was lost. The pilot attempted to land immediately in the underlying field but had insufficient altitude and airspeed to perform an autorotation. The aircraft touched down, bounced, and during the bounce, the main rotor blades flexed downward and severed the tail boom.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the clutch revealed that poor contact was being made between the shoes and the drum. Examination of the freewheeling unit revealed that it contained numerous rollers that would not lock. These findings suggest potential mechanical issues, but the relationship between the two components and the sequence of failures could not be determined.
Unknown Primary Failure
It is unknown which component's failure was primary. The investigation did not establish a definitive causal link between the observed clutch condition, the freewheeling unit condition, and the power loss event. The aircraft's damage included the severed tail boom, but no further details regarding other damage or injuries are available.