What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was flying eastbound @ highway 91 (near crosspoint: tollroad 241) when he heard a loud bang. He turned north and landed @ five minutes later on a mesa (960 ft) at the state park, Chino hills, Chino, CA. The pilot exited the aircraft and looked around for damage. He noticed none. He entered the helicopter and took off. As he hovered (3-5 ft), he pushed on the cyclic. The helicopter pitched nose down, struck the ground and rolled to the right. The main rotor mast snapped at the top of the mast (main rotor flew 60 ft away). Also, the tail boom snapped off (no tail rotor strike). The pilot and passenger exited the aircraft with no known injuries. No post fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS FLYING EASTBOUND @ HIGHWAY 91 (NEAR CROSSPOINT: TOLLROAD 241) WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG. HE TURNED NORTH AND LANDED @ FIVE MINUTES LATER ON A MESA (960 FT) AT THE STATE PARK, CHINO HILLS, CHINO, CA. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND LOOKED AROUND FOR DAMAGE. HE NOTICED NONE. HE ENTERED THE HELICOPTER AND TOOK OFF. AS HE HOVERED (3-5 FT), HE PUSHED ON THE CYCLIC. THE HELICOPTER PITCHED NOSE DOWN, STRUCK THE GROUND AND ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. THE MAIN ROTOR MAST SNAPPED AT THE TOP OF THE MAST (MAIN ROTOR FLEW 60 FT AWAY). ALSO, THE TAIL BOOM SNAPPED OFF (NO TAIL ROTOR STRIKE). THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO KNOWN INJURIES. NO POST 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.
Other reports on N205LA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.