What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 23, 2008 at approximately 1030 cdlt the pilot of this Enstrom helicopter experienced a transient yaw to the left in cruise flight approximately 1,000 AGL. The pilot initiated a precautionary landing in a field. When the stability anomoly did not reoccur, the pilot settled to a treetop hover out of the precautionary landing descent. The pilot reported that all systems were normal in the treetop hover and elected to attempt a flight takeoff from the hover. As the pilot added power for the flight takeoff the pilot experienced a sudden loss of engine power and executed an emergency landing, struck trees, hit the ground hard, the rotor blades disassembled and distributed the aft portions of the helicopter. The forward portions of the helicopter were destroyed by fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 23, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 1030 CDLT THE PILOT OF THIS ENSTROM HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A TRANSIENT YAW TO THE LEFT IN CRUISE FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 1,000 AGL. THE PILOT INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD. WHEN THE STABILITY ANOMOLY DID NOT REOCCUR, THE PILOT SETTLED TO A TREETOP HOVER OUT OF THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DESCENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ALL SYSTEMS WERE NORMAL IN THE TREETOP HOVER AND ELECTED TO ATTEMPT A FLIGHT TAKEOFF FROM THE HOVER. AS THE PILOT ADDED POWER FOR THE FLIGHT TAKEOFF THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING, STRUCK TREES, HIT THE GROUND HARD, THE ROTOR BLADES DISASSEMBLED AND DISTRIBUTED THE AFT PORTIONS OF THE HELICOPTER. THE FORWARD PORTIONS OF THE HELICOPTER WERE DESTROYED BY 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.