What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot and owner of the helicopter told investigators that during climb from a hover the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power at approximately 25 feet AGL and 30 knots of forward airspeed. He said the sudden loss of power caused the rotor RPM to decline and during his attempt to accomplish a low rotor RPM autorotation the aircraft landed hard. The hard landing caused the main rotor blades to strike the tail boom and sever it from the fuselage. There was one passenger onboard at the time of the accident. There were no injuries to the passenger or pilot. The pilot further stated the engine had approximately 100 hours of operation hours remaining until it was scheduled to be removed for overhaul. A review of the aircraft maintenance records by the FAA inspector confirmed the pilot/owner's statement. The records showed that the helicopter was in regulatory compliance of required inspections including airworthiness directives. The records also showed the N2 governor was replaced on July 15, 2009 and 2.3 flight hours prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT AND OWNER OF THE HELICOPTER TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT DURING CLIMB FROM A HOVER THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET AGL AND 30 KNOTS OF FORWARD AIRSPEED. HE SAID THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER CAUSED THE ROTOR RPM TO DECLINE AND DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO ACCOMPLISH A LOW ROTOR RPM AUTOROTATION THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD. THE HARD LANDING CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE TAIL BOOM AND SEVER IT FROM THE FUSELAGE. THERE WAS ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PASSENGER OR PILOT. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 100 HOURS OF OPERATION HOURS REMAINING UNTIL IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REMOVED FOR OVERHAUL. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS BY THE FAA INSPECTOR CONFIRMED THE PILOT/OWNER'S STATEMENT. THE RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS IN REGULATORY COMPLIANCE OF REQUIRED INSPECTIONS INCLUDING AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES. THE RECORDS ALSO SHOWED THE N2 GOVERNOR WAS REPLACED ON JULY 15, 2009 AND 2.3 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.