Narrative:

After flying 30 tours of approximately 6 min each in a 4 hour period, I was to park the aircraft near a hangar located on the vendor's property (this is a 5 day per week contract). Because the aircraft was salty, (the flying area is near the ocean), dirty and the windshield stained with bugs, I elected to fly the aircraft through the discharge from a nearby irrigation sprinkler, then go to parking. After the second pass at the sprinkler, the helicopter engine failed. I was forced to turn 180 degrees to make an unimproved road. Although I made the road, the last 1 1/2 ft of the automatic rotation was vertical causing a hard landing with damage to the right aft section of the aircraft. The aircraft came to rest on the road in an upright position. No further damage resulted. After performing emergency shutdown procedures I used my personal cellular phone to call the office and inform them of the incident. Subsequently, the office called the FAA. My perceptions since the incident are this: although I am happy with my performance throughout the incident, I am pretty disappointed with my lack of judgement leading up to the incident. It was a case of 'get homeitis' coupled with 'it'll never happen to me.' I hope the government will continue its campaign to advise pilots of the importance of good judgement. Also, I would like to state the importance of cellular phones on aircraft. Not for their use in the air, but for the value they bring as a 'survival radio' when the aircraft must be force landed for any reason.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TFC STOPS BY HIS SELF-STYLED CAR WASH TO REMOVE THE DAY'S DIRT AND BUGS, IN AND OUT OF THE SPRAY TWICE. INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN MANDATES EMER FORCED LNDG. ACFT DAMAGE.

Narrative: AFTER FLYING 30 TOURS OF APPROX 6 MIN EACH IN A 4 HR PERIOD, I WAS TO PARK THE ACFT NEAR A HANGAR LOCATED ON THE VENDOR'S PROPERTY (THIS IS A 5 DAY PER WK CONTRACT). BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS SALTY, (THE FLYING AREA IS NEAR THE OCEAN), DIRTY AND THE WINDSHIELD STAINED WITH BUGS, I ELECTED TO FLY THE ACFT THROUGH THE DISCHARGE FROM A NEARBY IRRIGATION SPRINKLER, THEN GO TO PARKING. AFTER THE SECOND PASS AT THE SPRINKLER, THE HELI ENG FAILED. I WAS FORCED TO TURN 180 DEGS TO MAKE AN UNIMPROVED ROAD. ALTHOUGH I MADE THE ROAD, THE LAST 1 1/2 FT OF THE AUTO ROTATION WAS VERT CAUSING A HARD LNDG WITH DAMAGE TO THE R AFT SECTION OF THE ACFT. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON THE ROAD IN AN UPRIGHT POS. NO FURTHER DAMAGE RESULTED. AFTER PERFORMING EMER SHUTDOWN PROCS I USED MY PERSONAL CELLULAR PHONE TO CALL THE OFFICE AND INFORM THEM OF THE INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE OFFICE CALLED THE FAA. MY PERCEPTIONS SINCE THE INCIDENT ARE THIS: ALTHOUGH I AM HAPPY WITH MY PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT, I AM PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WITH MY LACK OF JUDGEMENT LEADING UP TO THE INCIDENT. IT WAS A CASE OF 'GET HOMEITIS' COUPLED WITH 'IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.' I HOPE THE GOV WILL CONTINUE ITS CAMPAIGN TO ADVISE PLTS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD JUDGEMENT. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THE IMPORTANCE OF CELLULAR PHONES ON ACFT. NOT FOR THEIR USE IN THE AIR, BUT FOR THE VALUE THEY BRING AS A 'SURVIVAL RADIO' WHEN THE ACFT MUST BE FORCE LANDED FOR ANY REASON.

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.