What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated to the reporting inspector that he was on a demonstration flight with a prospective student pilot flying straight and level at 1700 ft. just east of el monte airport (EMT). He heard a loud report and immediately saw the alternator light illuminate. Immediately the engine dropped to partial power (approximately 60%) and there was a split between rotor RPM and engine RPM. The engine felt as though it was surging during his autorotation. He made an approach to a field adjacent to the santa fe dam. He then states, "as we were touching down I came in a little too fast and the left skid dug into a high spot in the terrain three times, onto third impact of the skid the aircraft spun around about 180 degrees. The hard landing rolled us onto the right side of the aircraft as it spun around." The reporting inspector found the aircraft laying on its right side on a heading of approximately 270 degrees. It appears that the aircraft was initially traveling on a heading of approximately 90 degrees at the time of the impact. Neither occupant was injured during this event. The aircraft received substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED TO THE REPORTING INSPECTOR THAT HE WAS ON A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT WITH A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT PILOT FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AT 1700 FT. JUST EAST OF EL MONTE AIRPORT (EMT). HE HEARD A LOUD REPORT AND IMMEDIATELY SAW THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE. IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE DROPPED TO PARTIAL POWER (APPROXIMATELY 60%) AND THERE WAS A SPLIT BETWEEN ROTOR RPM AND ENGINE RPM. THE ENGINE FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS SURGING DURING HIS AUTOROTATION. HE MADE AN APPROACH TO A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE SANTA FE DAM. HE THEN STATES, "AS WE WERE TOUCHING DOWN I CAME IN A LITTLE TOO FAST AND THE LEFT SKID DUG INTO A HIGH SPOT IN THE TERRAIN THREE TIMES, ONTO THIRD IMPACT OF THE SKID THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND ABOUT 180 DEGREES. THE HARD LANDING ROLLED US ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT SPUN AROUND." THE REPORTING INSPECTOR FOUND THE AIRCRAFT LAYING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 270 DEGREES. IT APPEARS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS INITIALLY TRAVELING ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES AT THE TIME OF THE IMPACT. NEITHER OCCUPANT WAS INJURED DURING THIS EVENT. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.