ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 47012
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| Date: | Saturday 15 March 1997 |
| Time: | 09:00 |
| Type: |  Hughes 269C |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZK-HKJ |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Rangitaiki, Taupo -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
After a morning refuel from a drum and a top-up from a jerry-can, the helicopter took off. Twenty minutes later the engine began to run badly and lost power. The pilot was over a heavily forested but familiar area, flying at 500 feet, so the forced-landing options were limited by altitude. Fortunately he knew of a clear area two kilometres away and headed for it. Power from the engine reduced further, and the needles split, requiring entry into full autorotation. The pilot had to reduce rotor rpm to stretch the glide to the clearing. The engine was fluctuating around idle rpm. The pilot had to leave his conversion from range autorotation to normal until a very late stage, and the airspeed was still at 20 to 30 knots approaching the touchdown area. The flare was ineffective due to low rotor rpm and, as he raised the lever to cushion the touchdown, the idling engine burst into life, yawing the aircraft violently to the right. The helicopter hit the ground while still yawed, and it rolled over. There was no post-crash fire, and the pilot escaped without injury. The aircraft was destroyed. Water was found to have contaminated the fuel. The flight manual actions required in the event of engine failure do not contain drills to secure the engine when committed to an autorotative landing.
Sources:
CAA NZ Accident Brief, Occurrence #97/807
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 19-May-2018 03:15 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, Source] |
| 25-Sep-2021 13:34 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 20-Nov-2022 05:18 | Ron Averes | Updated [Date, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
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