What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) As the pilot reduced collective pitch on final approach for landing, N2 and rotor RPM decreased and stabilized at about 96%, with the low RPM light and audio activated. When the pilot reduced collective pitch again RPM further degraded to just above 90% and stabilized again. At approximately 20 to 30 ft. above landing pad the pilot increased collective to cushion the landing, but RPM rapidly deteriorated resulting in a hard landing and subsequent roll to the left. Pilot stated that during training at the factory and at slc, that when the collective was lowered on the ground after landing the N2 and rotor RPM would decay momentarily, then recover. Factory was aware of this problem.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AS THE PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE PITCH ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING, N2 AND ROTOR RPM DECREASED AND STABILIZED AT ABOUT 96%, WITH THE LOW RPM LIGHT AND AUDIO ACTIVATED. WHEN THE PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE PITCH AGAIN RPM FURTHER DEGRADED TO JUST ABOVE 90% AND STABILIZED AGAIN. AT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 FT. ABOVE LANDING PAD THE PILOT INCREASED COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE LANDING, BUT RPM RAPIDLY DETERIORATED RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING AND SUBSEQUENT ROLL TO THE LEFT. PILOT STATED THAT DURING TRAINING AT THE FACTORY AND AT SLC, THAT WHEN THE COLLECTIVE WAS LOWERED ON THE GROUND AFTER LANDING THE N2 AND ROTOR RPM WOULD DECAY MOMENTARILY, THEN RECOVER. FACTORY WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.