Incident Overview
A pilot and two passengers departed from a helipad at 1422 for a sightseeing flight. The pilot had planned a 45-minute flight and refueled the helicopter to 17 gallons before departure.
Loss of Engine Power
Approximately 38 minutes into the flight, while about 1 mile from the departure helipad, the engine lost power. The pilot attributed the power loss to fuel exhaustion.
Autorotation and Touchdown
The pilot initiated an autorotation. When the helicopter was about 5 feet above a beach, the pilot applied collective control to cushion the touchdown. The helicopter touched down on wet sand with a westerly heading. Forward motion during the touchdown resulted in a nose-low attitude.
Rotor Strike and Damage
During the touchdown, the main rotor struck the ground in front of the helicopter and subsequently struck the tailboom, shearing it off.
Mechanical Status
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter.