What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The fuel control was replaced @ sdl (main base or oper) and a maint. Test flt. To the ffz airport. Area was then conducted. The pilot was performing power-recovery autorotations. He entered the "flare" maneuver at 60 mph and at approx. 75-100 ft.(AGL). The helicopter "fell-thru" the autorotation and contacted the ground (first) hard on the rear of the skids, then the helicopter pitched forward rapidly contacting the nose of the a/c and coming to rest upright. The tailboom separated at the upper attaching area of the aft fuselage bulkhead, tearing the thomas-coupling completely on the drive shaft, and causing the vertical fw to be separated from the tailboom. The main rotor blades do not appear to have contacted the tailboom. No injuries-no post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FUEL CONTROL WAS REPLACED @ SDL (MAIN BASE OR OPER) AND A MAINT. TEST FLT. TO THE FFZ AIRPORT. AREA WAS THEN CONDUCTED. THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING POWER-RECOVERY AUTOROTATIONS. HE ENTERED THE "FLARE" MANEUVER AT 60 MPH AND AT APPROX. 75-100 FT.(AGL). THE HELICOPTER "FELL-THRU" THE AUTOROTATION AND CONTACTED THE GROUND (FIRST) HARD ON THE REAR OF THE SKIDS, THEN THE HELICOPTER PITCHED FORWARD RAPIDLY CONTACTING THE NOSE OF THE A/C AND COMING TO REST UPRIGHT. THE TAILBOOM SEPARATED AT THE UPPER ATTACHING AREA OF THE AFT FUSELAGE BULKHEAD, TEARING THE THOMAS-COUPLING COMPLETELY ON THE DRIVE SHAFT, AND CAUSING THE VERTICAL FW TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE TAILBOOM. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE CONTACTED THE TAILBOOM. NO INJURIES-NO POST CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.