What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Engine failed not enough altitude or rotor speed for successful autoratation. (.4) according to the pilot, he satisfactorily completed a pre-takeoff check, which included checking the exhaust gas temperature gage for correct temperatures. He then departed into the wind. The pilot reported that about 50 feet AGL, and airspeed about 30 to 40 mph, he noticed the main rotor slowing down and he added power with no results. He entered autorotation, but the rotor speed was inadequate to perform a successful autorotation, and the helicopter touched down hard. An engine examination revealed a half inch crack within a welded seam in the mid section of the exhaust manifold. The pilot reported that the exhaust manifold was delivered from the factory with the weld. The helicopter had a total of 56 hours since new. (-23) the pilot stated that as he was departing new philadelphia airport (phd) he noticed a loss of engine power and a decay in rotor RPM. The pilot executed an autorotation landing to the grass area at the airport. Due to low rotor RPM the pilot held the flare to build up rotor RPM, the aircraft made contact with the ground in a nose high attitude, severing the tail boo m when it struck the ground. The skid landing gear collapsed and the aircraft turned approximately 070 degrees to the right. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No injuries to the pilot and the sole occupant of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ENGINE FAILED NOT ENOUGH ALTITUDE OR ROTOR SPEED FOR SUCCESSFUL AUTORATATION. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED A PRE-TAKEOFF CHECK, WHICH INCLUDED CHECKING THE EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE GAGE FOR CORRECT TEMPERATURES. HE THEN DEPARTED INTO THE WIND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 50 FEET AGL, AND AIRSPEED ABOUT 30 TO 40 MPH, HE NOTICED THE MAIN ROTOR SLOWING DOWN AND HE ADDED POWER WITH NO RESULTS. HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION, BUT THE ROTOR SPEED WAS INADEQUATE TO PERFORM A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION, AND THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED A HALF INCH CRACK WITHIN A WELDED SEAM IN THE MID SECTION OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS DELIVERED FROM THE FACTORY WITH THE WELD. THE HELICOPTER HAD A TOTAL OF 56 HOURS SINCE NEW. (-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS DEPARTING NEW PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT (PHD) HE NOTICED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND A DECAY IN ROTOR RPM. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION LANDING TO THE GRASS AREA AT THE AIRPORT. DUE TO LOW ROTOR RPM THE PILOT HELD THE FLARE TO BUILD UP ROTOR RPM, THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, SEVERING THE TAIL BOO M WHEN IT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE SKID LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED APPROXIMATELY 070 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.