What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During normal flight pilot noticed a vibration and started experiencing cyclic control problems with the aircraft. The cyclic control had unusual feel and had to be forced in desired position, as flight continued the cyclic control worsened and pilot could not maintain straight and level flight. As pilot tried to make corrections the problem got worse. All other systems indicated normal. Pilot decided to make an emergency landing and started the autorotation procedures. Aircraft touched down and appeared to have bounced and touched down a second time about 10 feet from the first touch down spot. The aircraft also appeared to have touched down at an angle; the right side was folded underneath the aircraft which caused the aircraft to roll to the right. The main rotor struck the ground causing the aircraft to self destruct; it came to rest on its right side. Leaking fuel caught fire and the aircraft burned.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING NORMAL FLIGHT PILOT NOTICED A VIBRATION AND STARTED EXPERIENCING CYCLIC CONTROL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE CYCLIC CONTROL HAD UNUSUAL FEEL AND HAD TO BE FORCED IN DESIRED POSITION, AS FLIGHT CONTINUED THE CYCLIC CONTROL WORSENED AND PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT. AS PILOT TRIED TO MAKE CORRECTIONS THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. ALL OTHER SYSTEMS INDICATED NORMAL. PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND STARTED THE AUTOROTATION PROCEDURES. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND APPEARED TO HAVE BOUNCED AND TOUCHED DOWN A SECOND TIME ABOUT 10 FEET FROM THE FIRST TOUCH DOWN SPOT. THE AIRCRAFT ALSO APPEARED TO HAVE TOUCHED DOWN AT AN ANGLE; THE RIGHT SIDE WAS FOLDED UNDERNEATH THE AIRCRAFT WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SELF DESTRUCT; IT CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. LEAKING FUEL CAUGHT FIRE AND THE AIRCRAFT BURNED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.