What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 27, 2001, at 0815 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-2, N46R, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain during a practice hover near Grand Haven, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot received no injuries. The local flight originated at 0745. (-23) pilot made approach to rwy 27 (wind 300@5KTS), came to hover over runway, then made left turn and hover taxied downwind approximately 50 feet. Pilot attempted rudder turn to right, allowed rotor RPM to decay, lost tail-rotor effectiveness and was too low to recover, cut power and pulled collective. Fuselage contacted the ground rotating counterclockwise. The left skid buckled and tailrotor contacted ground, main rotor made approximately 3 additional revolutions during which the bubble was struck. Helicopter destroyed. Fuselage came to rest facing north.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2001, AT 0815 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-2, N46R, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT WITH TERRAIN DURING A PRACTICE HOVER NEAR GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 0745. (-23) PILOT MADE APPROACH TO RWY 27 (WIND 300@5KTS), CAME TO HOVER OVER RUNWAY, THEN MADE LEFT TURN AND HOVER TAXIED DOWNWIND APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET. PILOT ATTEMPTED RUDDER TURN TO RIGHT, ALLOWED ROTOR RPM TO DECAY, LOST TAIL-ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AND WAS TOO LOW TO RECOVER, CUT POWER AND PULLED COLLECTIVE. FUSELAGE CONTACTED THE GROUND ROTATING COUNTERCLOCKWISE. THE LEFT SKID BUCKLED AND TAILROTOR CONTACTED GROUND, MAIN ROTOR MADE APPROXIMATELY 3 ADDITIONAL REVOLUTIONS DURING WHICH THE BUBBLE WAS STRUCK. HELICOPTER DESTROYED. FUSELAGE CAME TO REST FACING NORTH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.