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Inyokern, CA
The pilot stated that, 'I landed in an open unpopulated area for the mechanic to make adjustments on the main blade (we were tracking and balancing the blades). I never shut the engine down. I disengaged the clutch. After the adjustment was made, I engaged the clutch and brought it up to full power with all the checks before lifting off. Everything checked out OK. I had landed into the wind and departed into the wind. About 25-30 feet high the helicopter sounded like it was losing power and vibration was felt. A quick look revealed loss of both tachs (tachometers) of rotor and engine. I lowered the collective and added more power with no effect. Upon landing the helicopter rolled over on its left side. No controls were effective due to loss of (engine/rotor) rpms. The helicopter had been moved prior to officials arriving on scene. Later inspection revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure of any system.
THE PILOT STATED THAT, 'I LANDED IN AN OPEN UNPOPULATED AREA FOR THE MECHANIC ... TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE MAIN BLADE (WE WERE TRACKING AND BALANCING THE BLADES). I NEVER SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. I DISENGAGED THE CLUTCH. AFTER THE ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE, I ENGAGED THE CLUTCH AND BROUGHT IT UP TO FULL POWER WITH ALL THE CHECKS BEFORE LIFTING OFF. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK. I HAD LANDED INTO THE WIND AND DEPARTED INTO THE WIND. ABOUT 25-30 FEET HIGH THE HELICOPTER SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS LOSING POWER AND VIBRATION WAS FELT. A QUICK LOOK REVEALED LOSS OF BOTH TACHS (TACHOMETERS) OF ROTOR AND ENGINE. I LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ADDED MORE POWER WITH NO EFFECT. UPON LANDING THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. NO CONTROLS WERE EFFECTIVE DUE TO LOSS OF (ENGINE/ROTOR) RPMS.' THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN MOVED PRIOR TO OFFICIALS ARRIVING ON SCENE. LATER INSPECTION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF ANY SYSTEM.