What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was operating out of a remote site at 7240 MSL with a density altitude of approx 9700 feet. There were five passengers on board and the aircraft was 40 pounds below max gross weight. The take off area was located in heavy sage brush with some cedar trees and an upslope in the departure path. The flight manual was within the weight limits for a ground effect hover operations but 200 pounds over the limit for out of ground effect hover operations for the existing conditions. The engine was unable to produce sufficient power for take off, the pilot attempted to abort the take-off. The rotor RPM had dropped below the operating limit resulting in loss of control, and aircraft struck the ground and rolled over.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS OPERATING OUT OF A REMOTE SITE AT 7240 MSL WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROX 9700 FEET. THERE WERE FIVE PASSENGERS ON BOARD AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS 40 POUNDS BELOW MAX GROSS WEIGHT. THE TAKE OFF AREA WAS LOCATED IN HEAVY SAGE BRUSH WITH SOME CEDAR TREES AND AN UPSLOPE IN THE DEPARTURE PATH. THE FLIGHT MANUAL WAS WITHIN THE WEIGHT LIMITS FOR A GROUND EFFECT HOVER OPERATIONS BUT 200 POUNDS OVER THE LIMIT FOR OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HOVER OPERATIONS FOR THE EXISTING CONDITIONS. THE ENGINE WAS UNABLE TO PRODUCE SUFFICIENT POWER FOR TAKE OFF, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF. THE ROTOR RPM HAD DROPPED BELOW THE OPERATING LIMIT RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL, AND AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.