What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Exp. Rotorway executive helicopter rotor RPM dropped after take-off, and the acft struck a bump while trying to land and then rolled over onto its side, other circumstances are unknown. (-23)the pilot commenced an approach to an open field in which his landing area in located. This field has a natural slope of approximately 5-7 degrees. At the termination of the approach, the pilot decided that he did not have enough power to hover up to the slope to his hanger and his rotor started to decay. The terrain was too steep for a slope landing to be completed a pedal turn, and attempted a running/slide-on landing in an adjacent field. During the running/slide-on landing, the right skid hit a mound of dirt, and the aircraft rolled to the left. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
EXP. ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE HELICOPTER ROTOR RPM DROPPED AFTER TAKE-OFF, AND THE ACFT STRUCK A BUMP WHILE TRYING TO LAND AND THEN ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23)THE PILOT COMMENCED AN APPROACH TO AN OPEN FIELD IN WHICH HIS LANDING AREA IN LOCATED. THIS FIELD HAS A NATURAL SLOPE OF APPROXIMATELY 5-7 DEGREES. AT THE TERMINATION OF THE APPROACH, THE PILOT DECIDED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO HOVER UP TO THE SLOPE TO HIS HANGER AND HIS ROTOR STARTED TO DECAY. THE TERRAIN WAS TOO STEEP FOR A SLOPE LANDING TO BE COMPLETED A PEDAL TURN, AND ATTEMPTED A RUNNING/SLIDE-ON LANDING IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THE RUNNING/SLIDE-ON LANDING, THE RIGHT SKID HIT A MOUND OF DIRT, AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR 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.