What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 10, 2002, at approximately 11:00 local, an MD HU-600N helicopter N810LA piloted by greg arnette encountered the following: during the approach into the Deland municipal airport, the helicopter experienced a full authority digital electronic control (fadec) failure which did not respond to the reset command by the pilot. The engine would not respond to manual throttle inputs, and subsequently redlined at high RPM. At high RPM, sounds of a compressor stall could be heard; then the engine lost power. The pilot headed to an open field short of the airport. The pilot flared the helicopter to very hard arrest forward motion, resulting in the helicopter's tail striking the ground and separating. The pilot subsequently leveled the helicopter and landed upright. The pilot and the two passengers were not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 10, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 LOCAL, AN MD HU-600N HELICOPTER N810LA PILOTED BY GREG ARNETTE ENCOUNTERED THE FOLLOWING: DURING THE APPROACH INTO THE DELAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A FULL AUTHORITY DIGITAL ELECTRONIC CONTROL (FADEC) FAILURE WHICH DID NOT RESPOND TO THE RESET COMMAND BY THE PILOT. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO MANUAL THROTTLE INPUTS, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REDLINED AT HIGH RPM. AT HIGH RPM, SOUNDS OF A COMPRESSOR STALL COULD BE HEARD; THEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT HEADED TO AN OPEN FIELD SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT FLARED THE HELICOPTER TO VERY HARD ARREST FORWARD MOTION, RESULTING IN THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL STRIKING THE GROUND AND SEPARATING. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY LEVELED THE HELICOPTER AND LANDED UPRIGHT. THE PILOT AND THE TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.