Accident Details
During a return flight to Centennial Airport following a photo documentation flight in the Denver International Airport area, the pilot noted that the fuel level was low. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power, and the pilot attempted an autorotation to an open field. The landing was hard, causing the main rotor blades to contact the tail boom. This severed the tail rotor and bent all three main rotor blades.
Post-Accident Examination
After the accident, less than a quarter of a gallon of fuel was recovered from the left and right fuel tanks. Fuel was added to the helicopter, and the engine ran without hesitation or issues for five minutes. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no anomalies.
Pilot Statement
According to the pilot, he departed with 19 gallons of fuel and had calculated that this represented 1 hour and 20 minutes of fuel.