What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Mr. Hopper stated the engine quit on takeoff. He noticed the yellow electric fuel pump light flash at about the same time. The helicopter was at an altitude of 17 feet and an airspeed of 13 to 15 knots when this happened. The aircraft's POH, height/velocity (h/v) diagram shows this airspeed and altitude combination in the shaded area of the h/v diagram. This is an area that may not allow enough time for the critical transition from powered flight to autorotation. The helicopter landed hard causing substantial damage, and serious injuries to the pilot. Two days later two inspectors from this office, witnessed the aircraft's owner try to duplicate the engine problem. The inspectors both state, at that time no problems with the engine were found.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) MR. HOPPER STATED THE ENGINE QUIT ON TAKEOFF. HE NOTICED THE YELLOW ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP LIGHT FLASH AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. THE HELICOPTER WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 17 FEET AND AN AIRSPEED OF 13 TO 15 KNOTS WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE AIRCRAFT'S POH, HEIGHT/VELOCITY (H/V) DIAGRAM SHOWS THIS AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE COMBINATION IN THE SHADED AREA OF THE H/V DIAGRAM. THIS IS AN AREA THAT MAY NOT ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR THE CRITICAL TRANSITION FROM POWERED FLIGHT TO AUTOROTATION. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE PILOT. TWO DAYS LATER TWO INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE, WITNESSED THE AIRCRAFT'S OWNER TRY TO DUPLICATE THE ENGINE PROBLEM. THE INSPECTORS BOTH STATE, AT THAT TIME NO PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE WERE FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.