What happened
The helicopter had been in operation for one and a half hours prior to the accident flight, during which it was transporting fencing materials to the summit of a nearby hill. Before initiating lift-off for the final trip to the top of the hill, the pilot estimated that there were approximately 50 pounds of fuel remaining on board.
As the aircraft climbed toward the hilltop, the engine suddenly flamed out. In response, the pilot initiated a right pedal turn and entered an autorotation. The helicopter touched down on the hillside, rolled over, and subsequently slid downhill.
The investigation
Following the incident, the engine was removed and subjected to functional testing. The test results indicated that the engine operated normally with no discrepancies noted during the evaluation.
Findings
The primary causal factor was engine flameout during the climb phase. Contributing factors included the low fuel estimate of 50 pounds prior to takeoff and the subsequent loss of power, which necessitated an emergency autorotation that resulted in a rollover upon landing.