What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On approach to landing at approx 20' AGL acft engine surged and yawed right. Pilot reduced throttle and collective and applied aft cyclic. Just prior to ground contact pilot applied collective for landing. Acft impacted ground approx 5' from edge of runway. With ground impact acft pitched level made contact with runway on right front skid. Pilot appeared to have aft cyclic still applied. Right front crossmember failed at engine cage cluster, acft impacted runway at that point, blade to runway contact occurred, blades flexed tailboom contact occurred with one blade severing tail rotor. Tailboom failure occurred near main attaching points. Acft came to rest on left side. No fire. Further investigation by NTSB has revealed possible material failure.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APPROACH TO LANDING AT APPROX 20' AGL ACFT ENGINE SURGED AND YAWED RIGHT. PILOT REDUCED THROTTLE AND COLLECTIVE AND APPLIED AFT CYCLIC. JUST PRIOR TO GROUND CONTACT PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE FOR LANDING. ACFT IMPACTED GROUND APPROX 5' FROM EDGE OF RUNWAY. WITH GROUND IMPACT ACFT PITCHED LEVEL MADE CONTACT WITH RUNWAY ON RIGHT FRONT SKID. PILOT APPEARED TO HAVE AFT CYCLIC STILL APPLIED. RIGHT FRONT CROSSMEMBER FAILED AT ENGINE CAGE CLUSTER, ACFT IMPACTED RUNWAY AT THAT POINT, BLADE TO RUNWAY CONTACT OCCURRED, BLADES FLEXED TAILBOOM CONTACT OCCURRED WITH ONE BLADE SEVERING TAIL ROTOR. TAILBOOM FAILURE OCCURRED NEAR MAIN ATTACHING POINTS. ACFT CAME TO REST ON LEFT SIDE. NO FIRE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY NTSB HAS REVEALED POSSIBLE MATERIAL FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.