Narrative:

While flying home over a heavily wooded area, the centrifugal clutch in the helicopter slipped, causing the rotor RPM to drastically fall. I went into autorotation and the only area I had to land in was a small field near some houses. While getting to that field, I caught an 8000 volt power line that caused the helicopter to FLIP backward, landing into the ground. The state highway patrol came out and I told them I needed to contact NTSB and FAA immediately. They told me they did and that no one was going to come out since there was no property damage, no injuries and no substantial aircraft damage. 2 days later, an FAA inspector called and said I was in violation for not reporting to FAA and NTSB immediately. Since the highway patrol notified, I assumed this was ok. The FAA is upset because the highway patrol notified the wrong person. Since this occurred as a direct result of a mechanical problem, I don't feel they should charge me with an accident -- if anything, just an incident. I was informed by the FAA that I will probably be in violation for going 6 hours over the 100 hour annual. Of those 100 hours, only 5 were used as sightseeing rides. The remaining hours were used for personal and/or pleasure. I am under part 91.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI PLT HITS A PWR LINE DURING AN ATTEMPTED PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. FAA CITES PLT FOR OVERDUE 100 HR INSPECTION.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING HOME OVER A HEAVILY WOODED AREA, THE CENTRIFUGAL CLUTCH IN THE HELI SLIPPED, CAUSING THE ROTOR RPM TO DRASTICALLY FALL. I WENT INTO AUTOROTATION AND THE ONLY AREA I HAD TO LAND IN WAS A SMALL FIELD NEAR SOME HOUSES. WHILE GETTING TO THAT FIELD, I CAUGHT AN 8000 VOLT PWR LINE THAT CAUSED THE HELI TO FLIP BACKWARD, LNDG INTO THE GND. THE STATE HWY PATROL CAME OUT AND I TOLD THEM I NEEDED TO CONTACT NTSB AND FAA IMMEDIATELY. THEY TOLD ME THEY DID AND THAT NO ONE WAS GOING TO COME OUT SINCE THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE, NO INJURIES AND NO SUBSTANTIAL ACFT DAMAGE. 2 DAYS LATER, AN FAA INSPECTOR CALLED AND SAID I WAS IN VIOLATION FOR NOT RPTING TO FAA AND NTSB IMMEDIATELY. SINCE THE HWY PATROL NOTIFIED, I ASSUMED THIS WAS OK. THE FAA IS UPSET BECAUSE THE HWY PATROL NOTIFIED THE WRONG PERSON. SINCE THIS OCCURRED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF A MECHANICAL PROB, I DON'T FEEL THEY SHOULD CHARGE ME WITH AN ACCIDENT -- IF ANYTHING, JUST AN INCIDENT. I WAS INFORMED BY THE FAA THAT I WILL PROBABLY BE IN VIOLATION FOR GOING 6 HRS OVER THE 100 HR ANNUAL. OF THOSE 100 HRS, ONLY 5 WERE USED AS SIGHTSEEING RIDES. THE REMAINING HRS WERE USED FOR PERSONAL AND/OR PLEASURE. I AM UNDER PART 91.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.