What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While performing aerial observation, during take off climb heading to the n.e. attaining an altitude of about 100 feet, they heard a loud pop followed by loss of power, the clutch light illuminated and extinguished, within seconds the light came back on causing engine & rotor tach separation. They started a steady decent at about a 35-45 degree angle. The pilot induced a auto rotation, the helicopter hit the ground in the pasture approximately 1400 feet from takeoff. The helicopter spun around on impact. During further inspection it appears the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the transition section causing buckling at the hinge half. The tail boom dis-lodged and was located about 70 feet from the crash site. The main rotor blades buckled & the skids were severly damaged.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL OBSERVATION, DURING TAKE OFF CLIMB HEADING TO THE N.E. ATTAINING AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FEET, THEY HEARD A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF POWER, THE CLUTCH LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND EXTINGUISHED, WITHIN SECONDS THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON CAUSING ENGINE & ROTOR TACH SEPARATION. THEY STARTED A STEADY DECENT AT ABOUT A 35-45 DEGREE ANGLE. THE PILOT INDUCED A AUTO ROTATION, THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND IN THE PASTURE APPROXIMATELY 1400 FEET FROM TAKEOFF. THE HELICOPTER SPUN AROUND ON IMPACT. DURING FURTHER INSPECTION IT APPEARS THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TRANSITION SECTION CAUSING BUCKLING AT THE HINGE HALF. THE TAIL BOOM DIS-LODGED AND WAS LOCATED ABOUT 70 FEET FROM THE CRASH SITE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BUCKLED & THE SKIDS WERE SEVERLY DAMAGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.