What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At 1300 feet MSL and air speed between 60-70 knots, there was a mechanical failure and loss of engine power. The helicopter shuttered and the engine made a very loud squealing/grinding/sucking sound which was accompanied by a shaking and a pronounced left yaw followed by annunciator panel warning lights and the audible warning horn. The pilot established an autorotation to a small spot at the east end of the peninsula in the scioto river and landed safely. As the helicopter settled the right skid sank in the mud causing the helicopter to roll to the right and on its side. Upon exiting the helicopter, the passenger smelled smoke and took the fire extinguisher to investigate the engine area but found no fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT 1300 FEET MSL AND AIR SPEED BETWEEN 60-70 KNOTS, THERE WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE HELICOPTER SHUTTERED AND THE ENGINE MADE A VERY LOUD SQUEALING/GRINDING/SUCKING SOUND WHICH WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A SHAKING AND A PRONOUNCED LEFT YAW FOLLOWED BY ANNUNCIATOR PANEL WARNING LIGHTS AND THE AUDIBLE WARNING HORN. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED AN AUTOROTATION TO A SMALL SPOT AT THE EAST END OF THE PENINSULA IN THE SCIOTO RIVER AND LANDED SAFELY. AS THE HELICOPTER SETTLED THE RIGHT SKID SANK IN THE MUD CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT AND ON ITS SIDE. UPON EXITING THE HELICOPTER, THE PASSENGER SMELLED SMOKE AND TOOK THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO INVESTIGATE THE ENGINE AREA BUT FOUND NO 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.