What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC or student made abrupt control movements. Main rotors severed tailboom.(.4)the amateur-built helicopter collided with terrain after in-flight separation of its tail boom and tail rotor while maneuvering. Witnesses described the helicopter making about 4 passes over the field at about 500 feet above the surface. On the last pass, there was a hard yaw to the right; the helicopter then straightened out, pitched into a flare, then the tail came up and the main rotor struck the tail-boom. The tail-boom, tail rotor, and bubble canopy separated from the helicopter. The main wreckage was located about 300 feet from those components. (-23)PIC student made abrupt maneuvers with the helicopter causing the main rotor blade to sever the tail boom.
As the FAA filed it
PIC OR STUDENT MADE ABRUPT CONTROL MOVEMENTS. MAIN ROTORS SEVERED TAILBOOM.(.4)THE AMATEUR-BUILT HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF ITS TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR WHILE MANEUVERING. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE HELICOPTER MAKING ABOUT 4 PASSES OVER THE FIELD AT ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE. ON THE LAST PASS, THERE WAS A HARD YAW TO THE RIGHT; THE HELICOPTER THEN STRAIGHTENED OUT, PITCHED INTO A FLARE, THEN THE TAIL CAME UP AND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL-BOOM. THE TAIL-BOOM, TAIL ROTOR, AND BUBBLE CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THOSE COMPONENTS. (-23)PIC STUDENT MADE ABRUPT MANEUVERS WITH THE HELICOPTER CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO SEVER THE TAIL BOOM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.