What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated the following occurred during the landing phase of the flight: "I departed in a Robinson R44, N8353K from my residence at privacy data omitted, enroute to hangar 1/2 mile west on same farm. The wind was out of the south. I felt a vibration just before landing. I lowered the collective and the helicopter hit the ground and rolled over. I shut down master and electric down and exited the helicopter." Based on the pilot's statement, he said he developed what was believed to be a main rotor vibration approximately 50 ft. above the ground while on approach to landing. Based on examination of the wreckage, failure of the main rotor system could not be determined by field inspection. Further examination of the accident site showed the aircraft tail rotor contacted corn stalks to the right of the landing site. After contact with the corn, the tail rotor and gear box assembly departed the tailboom. The aircraft continued forward approximately 30 ft where it touched down, then rotated nearly 180 degrees. The aircraft rolled onto its right side, at which point the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The pilot exited without injury. No post accident fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF THE FLIGHT: "I DEPARTED IN A ROBINSON R44, N8353K FROM MY RESIDENCE AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ENROUTE TO HANGAR 1/2 MILE WEST ON SAME FARM. THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE SOUTH. I FELT A VIBRATION JUST BEFORE LANDING. I LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER. I SHUT DOWN MASTER AND ELECTRIC DOWN AND EXITED THE HELICOPTER." BASED ON THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, HE SAID HE DEVELOPED WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE A MAIN ROTOR VIBRATION APPROXIMATELY 50 FT. ABOVE THE GROUND WHILE ON APPROACH TO LANDING. BASED ON EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE, FAILURE OF THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED BY FIELD INSPECTION. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED CORN STALKS TO THE RIGHT OF THE LANDING SITE. AFTER CONTACT WITH THE CORN, THE TAIL ROTOR AND GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY DEPARTED THE TAILBOOM. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 30 FT WHERE IT TOUCHED DOWN, THEN ROTATED NEARLY 180 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE, AT WHICH POINT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT EXITED WITHOUT INJURY. NO POST ACCIDENT 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.