What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances, Columbus, OH. (.4)after loss of engine power at about 700 feet above ground level, the pilot entered an autorotation to a street. To avoid wires during the autorotation, the pilot flared early, trading speed for altitude to avoid the wires. After passing over the wires, the helicopter began settling. The pilot increased collective, but the helicopter touched down hard. The main rotor system then flexed downward and severed the tail boom. Examination of the engine and fuel system revealed no anomaly. Also, an operational check of the engine was made, and it performed within operational specifications. (-23) pilot reported loss of engine power while in 80 knot cruise flight at 1400 ft MSL (500 ft AGL) over densely populated residential area. He began autorotation and began a planned southbound landing on a street directly straight ahead and into a direct headwind of 14 to 17 knots as reported on cmh ATIS. At the time of touchdown, the main rotor struck the horizontal stabilizer and the tail boom, both of which departed the aircraft. The aircraft skidded and rotated counterclockwise 110 degrees against the curb of t he street. The pilot had pulled out the fuel shut-off during the autorotation. There was no fire and the passengers and pilot deplaned reportedly without any physical injuries.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, COLUMBUS, OH. (.4)AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 700 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION TO A STREET. TO AVOID WIRES DURING THE AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT FLARED EARLY, TRADING SPEED FOR ALTITUDE TO AVOID THE WIRES. AFTER PASSING OVER THE WIRES, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN SETTLING. THE PILOT INCREASED COLLECTIVE, BUT THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM THEN FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO ANOMALY. ALSO, AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE, AND IT PERFORMED WITHIN OPERATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS. (-23) PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN 80 KNOT CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1400 FT MSL (500 FT AGL) OVER DENSELY POPULATED RESIDENTIAL AREA. HE BEGAN AUTOROTATION AND BEGAN A PLANNED SOUTHBOUND LANDING ON A STREET DIRECTLY STRAIGHT AHEAD AND INTO A DIRECT HEADWIND OF 14 TO 17 KNOTS AS REPORTED ON CMH ATIS. AT THE TIME OF TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND THE TAIL BOOM, BOTH OF WHICH DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED AND ROTATED COUNTERCLOCKWISE 110 DEGREES AGAINST THE CURB OF T HE STREET. THE PILOT HAD PULLED OUT THE FUEL SHUT-OFF DURING THE AUTOROTATION. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT DEPLANED REPORTEDLY WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.