What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) This was a delivery flt. Of a new helicopter from calif. To st. louis, MO. They stopped for fuel in tucson, AZ. And about one (1) hour n.e. of tucson the alternator lite came "on" with an amp meter "discharge" indication. About twenty (20) seconds later the clutch lite came "on" and stayed "on" (with the odor of burning rubber and noises). The pilot pulled the clutch c.b. the helicopter was @ approx. 400-500 ft (AGL) when the pilot entered autorotation. Upon ground contact with a "mound" of brush/dirt, the helicopter pitched fwd. Contacting the "chin"/nose with the ground, rocked aft with the m/r blades contacting the tail boom skin only (not the drive shaft), and the landing skids were bent upward from the fwd/front struts. No personal injury and no post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THIS WAS A DELIVERY FLT. OF A NEW HELICOPTER FROM CALIF. TO ST. LOUIS, MO. THEY STOPPED FOR FUEL IN TUCSON, AZ. AND ABOUT ONE (1) HOUR N.E. OF TUCSON THE ALTERNATOR LITE CAME "ON" WITH AN AMP METER "DISCHARGE" INDICATION. ABOUT TWENTY (20) SECONDS LATER THE CLUTCH LITE CAME "ON" AND STAYED "ON" (WITH THE ODOR OF BURNING RUBBER AND NOISES). THE PILOT PULLED THE CLUTCH C.B. THE HELICOPTER WAS @ APPROX. 400-500 FT (AGL) WHEN THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION. UPON GROUND CONTACT WITH A "MOUND" OF BRUSH/DIRT, THE HELICOPTER PITCHED FWD. CONTACTING THE "CHIN"/NOSE WITH THE GROUND, ROCKED AFT WITH THE M/R BLADES CONTACTING THE TAIL BOOM SKIN ONLY (NOT THE DRIVE SHAFT), AND THE LANDING SKIDS WERE BENT UPWARD FROM THE FWD/FRONT STRUTS. NO PERSONAL INJURY AND 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.