What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot in command of AS-350-B2 helicopter, N513TS, lowered the collective pitch control to the down position for descent. The collective pitch control remained in the down position when the pilot attempted to arrest the descent. The aircraft continued descent to the ground. The pilot was only able to reduce the descent rate by applying aft cyclic control. The helicopter tail skid touched down on the ground smoothly. It left only a very shallow skid mark in the soft dirt. The landing gear skids impacted with the ground 66 feet beyond the point where the tail skid initially touched the ground. The landing gear skids separated from the aircraft and the bottom of the fuselage impacted with the ground. The pilot stated that the collective down latch became engaged during flight.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF AS-350-B2 HELICOPTER, N513TS, LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL TO THE DOWN POSITION FOR DESCENT. THE COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL REMAINED IN THE DOWN POSITION WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS ONLY ABLE TO REDUCE THE DESCENT RATE BY APPLYING AFT CYCLIC CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER TAIL SKID TOUCHED DOWN ON THE GROUND SMOOTHLY. IT LEFT ONLY A VERY SHALLOW SKID MARK IN THE SOFT DIRT. THE LANDING GEAR SKIDS IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND 66 FEET BEYOND THE POINT WHERE THE TAIL SKID INITIALLY TOUCHED THE GROUND. THE LANDING GEAR SKIDS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE COLLECTIVE DOWN LATCH BECAME ENGAGED DURING FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.