What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While climbing up a steep canyon, the pilot experienced turbulence, a down draft and a low rotor RPM warning. The pilot increased throttle, lowered collective, regained rotor RPM then added collective and throttle. Upon recovery, the pilot decided to discontinue his climb up the canyon, initiating a left turn and in the turn again experienced turbulence and a down draft and repeated the low rotor RPM scenario. The pilot then elected to land in the canyon, found a marginal clearing in which to land, landed hard and dynamically rolled onto the right side of the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE CLIMBING UP A STEEP CANYON, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED TURBULENCE, A DOWN DRAFT AND A LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING. THE PILOT INCREASED THROTTLE, LOWERED COLLECTIVE, REGAINED ROTOR RPM THEN ADDED COLLECTIVE AND THROTTLE. UPON RECOVERY, THE PILOT DECIDED TO DISCONTINUE HIS CLIMB UP THE CANYON, INITIATING A LEFT TURN AND IN THE TURN AGAIN EXPERIENCED TURBULENCE AND A DOWN DRAFT AND REPEATED THE LOW ROTOR RPM SCENARIO. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO LAND IN THE CANYON, FOUND A MARGINAL CLEARING IN WHICH TO LAND, LANDED HARD AND DYNAMICALLY ROLLED ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.