What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter was returning to brackett field from the southeast at the end of a local flight. The tower cleared N7028U to land on taxiway sierra. The brackett tower controller reported that N7028U crashed on taxiway sierra between alpha and bravo. In his statement, the pilot reported the following: when he was on final approach he reached with his left hand to push down the trim assist knob. The knob was stuck in the up position and when it moved down, his hand slammed into the panel and bounced up, catching the mixture control, pulling it up. The engine ceased to produce power causing rotor RPM to decay. He lowered the collective control and entered autorotation. The pilot further stated that low altitude and airspeed prevented him from performing an ideal autorotation. The helicopter contacted the ground. When the skids caught, the helicopter rolled on its side (pilots side). The pilot and passenger exited the helicopter unharmed through the pushed out windshield.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER WAS RETURNING TO BRACKETT FIELD FROM THE SOUTHEAST AT THE END OF A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE TOWER CLEARED N7028U TO LAND ON TAXIWAY SIERRA. THE BRACKETT TOWER CONTROLLER REPORTED THAT N7028U CRASHED ON TAXIWAY SIERRA BETWEEN ALPHA AND BRAVO.IN HIS STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THE FOLLOWING: WHEN HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH HE REACHED WITH HIS LEFT HAND TO PUSH DOWN THE TRIM ASSIST KNOB. THE KNOB WAS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION AND WHEN IT MOVED DOWN, HIS HAND SLAMMED INTO THE PANEL AND BOUNCED UP, CATCHING THE MIXTURE CONTROL, PULLING IT UP. THE ENGINE CEASED TO PRODUCE POWER CAUSING ROTOR RPM TO DECAY. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL AND ENTERED AUTOROTATION. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED PREVENTED HIM FROM PERFORMING AN IDEAL AUTOROTATION. THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE GROUND. WHEN THE SKIDS CAUGHT, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS SIDE (PILOTS SIDE). THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE HELICOPTER UNHARMED THROUGH THE PUSHED OUT WINDSHIELD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.