What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed out of kahului airport on tour flight of 60 minutes. Operations were normal in waihee valley. As aircraft began descent into Honokohau valley, pilot noticed aircraft appeared to lose power and warning horn sounded. Pilot selected landing area. Pilot turned aircraft into the wind and changed landing area. Pilot attempted to pull in collective and check power available, but rotor began to droop, and pilot returned to autorotative mode. Aircraft landed in an area with trees, and was substantially damaged by fuselage penetration of trees and rotor damage from trees. Pilot and passengers were unhurt except for some stiffness. Per the pilot, wx report, and passengers, weather was VFR with light mist.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED OUT OF KAHULUI AIRPORT ON TOUR FLIGHT OF 60 MINUTES. OPERATIONS WERE NORMAL IN WAIHEE VALLEY. AS AIRCRAFT BEGAN DESCENT INTO HONOKOHAU VALLEY, PILOT NOTICED AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO LOSE POWER AND WARNING HORN SOUNDED. PILOT SELECTED LANDING AREA. PILOT TURNED AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND AND CHANGED LANDING AREA. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PULL IN COLLECTIVE AND CHECK POWER AVAILABLE, BUT ROTOR BEGAN TO DROOP, AND PILOT RETURNED TO AUTOROTATIVE MODE. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN AN AREA WITH TREES, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY FUSELAGE PENETRATION OF TREES AND ROTOR DAMAGE FROM TREES. PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE UNHURT EXCEPT FOR SOME STIFFNESS. PER THE PILOT, WX REPORT, AND PASSENGERS, WEATHER WAS VFR WITH LIGHT MIST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.