THE PLT OF A ROBINSON R22 HELI MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF TCC; NM; WHEN HIS TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR ALERTS HIM TO A POSSIBLE PROB.

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I WAS FLYING EBOUND ON I-40 ENRTE TO TUCCUMCARI; NM; UNCTLED ARPT. APPROX 3 MI BEFORE I REACHED THE CITY; MY TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SINCE IT WAS DUSK; I STARTED AN APCH TOWARDS THE CITY BECAUSE THE ARPT WAS STILL APPROX 6 MORE MI TO THE E. WHEN I WAS OVER THE CITY I LOCATED A VACANT FIELD TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I MADE A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE OF THE AREA AND STARTED MY APCH INTO THE FIELD. I CONTINUED WITH A LOW RECONNAISSANCE AND THERE WERE NO PEOPLE OR VEHICLES AROUND THIS AREA AND I WAS APPROX 500-800 FT FROM THE CLOSEST BUILDING. UPON SETTING DOWN AND ROLLING MY THROTTLE OFF; THE TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT WENT OUT. I RAN THE ENG A LITTLE LONGER AND IT DID NOT COME ON; SO I REPOSITIONED THE ACFT TO A MORE SECURE AREA. I HOVER-TAXIED APPROX 500 FT TO A PARKING LOT WITH A CHAIN LINK FENCE ON 2 SIDES. NO PEOPLE OR VEHICLES WERE PRESENT AND I REMAINED APPROX 300 FT FROM THE CLOSEST BUILDING. AS SOON AS I TOUCHED DOWN; I HAD MY PAX OPEN HIS DOOR AND WATCH THE REAR OF THE ACFT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE APCHED FROM THAT DIRECTION. A POLICE OFFICER PULLED UP AS WE WERE SHUTTING DOWN AND HE WAS ON THE PHONE TO THE FAA. HE INFORMED ME THAT WE MADE AN UNAUTH LNDG; BUT HE SAID THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING A HELI FROM LNDG WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. I TALKED TO THE SAME FAA INSPECTOR LATER THAT NIGHT ON THE PHONE AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO HIM. MY PAX WAS ALSO AN A&P; HE CHKED THE TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR AND DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE NEXT MORNING; I CALLED THE LCL POLICE AND THEY SECURED THE AREA FOR ME TO DEPART AT ABOUT XA45. AT NO TIME DURING THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT WAS ANYTHING DONE IN A CARELESS OR RECKLESS MANNER. AT ALL TIMES THE PLT; PAX; ACFT AND PUBLIC SAFETY WERE OF MOST CONCERN.