What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While on left base to runway 18, the pilot experienced an engine failure. He immediately lowered the collective to initiate an autorotation. After lowering the collective completely down, the engine came back to full power. He then raised the collective back up for normal flight and was receiving full power for approximately 4 seconds, at which time the engine lost power again. He again lowered the collective but was too low to the ground and the rotor RPM was low. He stated that when he touched down, he was pulling back on the cyclic control trying to slow the aircraft's forward speed. When the helicopter contacted the surface, the ground was extremely soft and muddy, with water pooling in spots. The helicopter then rose forward on the skids, the main rotor contacted the ground, sheared the tail boom, and began to roll, which led to the helicopter being destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE ON LEFT BASE TO RUNWAY 18, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. HE IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO INITIATE AN AUTOROTATION. AFTER LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE COMPLETELY DOWN, THE ENGINE CAME BACK TO FULL POWER. HE THEN RAISED THE COLLECTIVE BACK UP FOR NORMAL FLIGHT AND WAS RECEIVING FULL POWER FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 SECONDS, AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. HE AGAIN LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE BUT WAS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND AND THE ROTOR RPM WAS LOW. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN, HE WAS PULLING BACK ON THE CYCLIC CONTROL TRYING TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT'S FORWARD SPEED. WHEN THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE SURFACE, THE GROUND WAS EXTREMELY SOFT AND MUDDY, WITH WATER POOLING IN SPOTS. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROSE FORWARD ON THE SKIDS, THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED THE GROUND, SHEARED THE TAIL BOOM, AND BEGAN TO ROLL, WHICH LED TO THE HELICOPTER BEING DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.