Accident Details
On July 24, 2009, at approximately 1445 Pacific daylight time, a Sikorsky S-55 helicopter, registration N1255T, made an off-airport emergency landing near Chelan, Washington. The pilot, who owned the helicopter, was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. He held a commercial pilot certificate and was not injured in the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage from impact forces.
Sequence of Events
The flight departed Chelan at about 1245 for a local other work flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was drying cherries at low altitude when the helicopter experienced a loss of hydraulic pressure. He climbed the helicopter to clear nearby trees and then executed a run-on landing into a vacant field. During the landing, the helicopter encountered a large hole that the pilot had not seen. The main rotor struck and severed the tail boom.
Post-Accident Examination
The operator reported that a post-accident examination revealed that an internal seal had leaked, resulting in the loss of pressure in the hydraulic system. As of the report date, the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Accident Report Form 6120.1/2 had not been submitted.