Incident Overview
On July 8, 2010, at approximately 2050 central daylight time, a Schweizer 269C helicopter, registration N410JM, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing near Minden, Nebraska. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Details
The local flight departed Pioneer Village Field (0V3) in Minden, Nebraska, around 2000. According to a written statement provided by the pilot, the helicopter was approximately four miles from the airport, flying at an altitude of 2,550 feet mean sea level, when it began to experience vibrations. The pilot characterized the vibrations as "heavy" and at a "slow frequency." A scan of the engine instruments revealed no abnormalities, though the pilot noted that the gauges were difficult to read due to the intense vibrations.
Precautionary Autorotation
In response to the vibrations, the pilot opted to perform a precautionary autorotation to a field. Before touchdown, he increased the flare to reduce ground run. The helicopter then made a hard impact with the ground and rolled before coming to rest on its left side.
Post-Incident Examination
An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examined the helicopter and engine. The inspection did not find any evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction of any component.