What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The helicopter pilot encountered deterioriating weather conditions with low ceilings and was back-tracking in order to find an acceptable route to the east or to Ely, NV airport (Ely). At approximately 200 ft AGL a loud bang was heard, followed by a flame out of both engines. An emergency autorotation to a landing was accomplished. However, during the touchdown, the right landing gear collapsed and the tail boom pylon was severed by the main rotor. The aircraft came to rest leaning on the right side supported by the rotor blades. The aircraft was operating in precipitation in the form of snow. Further analysis of the engine failures is in progress.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE HELICOPTER PILOT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORIATING WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH LOW CEILINGS AND WAS BACK-TRACKING IN ORDER TO FIND AN ACCEPTABLE ROUTE TO THE EAST OR TO ELY, NV AIRPORT (ELY). AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD, FOLLOWED BY A FLAME OUT OF BOTH ENGINES. AN EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION TO A LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. HOWEVER, DURING THE TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE TAIL BOOM PYLON WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST LEANING ON THE RIGHT SIDE SUPPORTED BY THE ROTOR BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING IN PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF SNOW. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE ENGINE FAILURES IS IN PROGRESS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.