OJAI, CA, USA
N4079S
ROBINSON R22
A ROBINSON R22 LANDED HARD AFTER SUSTAINING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT ELECTED TO PRACTICE AN AUTOROTATION WHILE FLYING AT 5000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL OR ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED TO BE ABOUT 70 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 6,500 FEET. AFTER APPLYING THE CARBURETOR HEAT AND LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED AND THE ENGINE CEASED TO RUN. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED NORMALLY THROUGHOUT ITS OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE MAIN ROTOR RPM TO CUSHION THE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE EXISTING HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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