Incident Details
A commercial pilot landed a skid-equipped helicopter in an area of brush and grass to pick up two passengers who had been conducting a ground survey. The pilot remained at the controls and reduced the engine rpm to 70 percent while the ground personnel loaded their equipment, including packs and a chainsaw, into external baskets on the helicopter. The ground personnel reported that the chainsaw had not been used in the previous hour and that its engine was cold.
Shortly after, the pilot smelled smoke and the passengers noticed flames under the helicopter. The pilot attempted to increase engine rpm to lift off from the landing area, but was unable to do so because the engine quit running. The pilot exited the helicopter and, together with the ground personnel, attempted to extinguish the flames on the ground. Their efforts were unsuccessful, and the pilot then attempted to restart the helicopter, which would not start.
The fire consumed the helicopter and about 60 acres of brush and grass.
Aircraft Information
This model helicopter's exhaust system is positioned at the rear and bottom portion of the aft fuselage. The underside of the engine area is open, allowing cooling-fan air to exit aft and downward, around the muffler and exhaust. The bottom of the muffler, at the rear area of the engine compartment, is about 19.5 inches above the ground. The exhaust pipe, routed through the rear bulkhead of the engine compartment, exits the aft end of the fuselage about 27 inches above the ground.
Safety Advisory
The pilot/operator manual for the helicopter contains a safety advisory that states, in part: "Never land in tall dry grass. The exhaust is low to the ground and very hot; a grass fire may be ignited."