What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was beginning an approach to the airport at 500 feet AGL when he heard a bank and felt vibrations. He entered an auto-rotation towards a field east of the airfield. The flight instructor that was with him took the controls at 250 feet AGL because of excessive airspeed and decided to complete the auto. During the landing phase the tail rotor guard hit the ground first causing all three main rotor blades to contact the tail boom. After the tail secton was severed the helicopter nosed over and came to rest on its right side.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS BEGINNING AN APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT AT 500 FEET AGL WHEN HE HEARD A BANK AND FELT VIBRATIONS. HE ENTERED AN AUTO-ROTATION TOWARDS A FIELD EAST OF THE AIRFIELD. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR THAT WAS WITH HIM TOOK THE CONTROLS AT 250 FEET AGL BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND DECIDED TO COMPLETE THE AUTO. DURING THE LANDING PHASE THE TAIL ROTOR GUARD HIT THE GROUND FIRST CAUSING ALL THREE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO CONTACT THE TAIL BOOM. AFTER THE TAIL SECTON WAS SEVERED THE HELICOPTER NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.