What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After landing in a meadow, for personal reasons, PIC privacy data omitted attempted to take off for his destination of truckee, CA. The helicopter was raised to a 3 or 4 foot hover, turned 45 degrees to the left, and began to follow the descending terrain. Accelerating through 10 knots the pilot experienced a fuel filter warning light followed by a loss of power. (Pilot did not notice a change in engine tone.) The ship settled to the ground, slid, and violently rolled onto the pilots side (right) with rotors slapping the ground. Fuel tanks ruptured and the ship was engulfed in flames. Pilot and passenger suffered serious injuries due to burns. Distance from take off to impact was about 50 yards.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER LANDING IN A MEADOW, FOR PERSONAL REASONS, PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF FOR HIS DESTINATION OF TRUCKEE, CA. THE HELICOPTER WAS RAISED TO A 3 OR 4 FOOT HOVER, TURNED 45 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, AND BEGAN TO FOLLOW THE DESCENDING TERRAIN. ACCELERATING THROUGH 10 KNOTS THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A FUEL FILTER WARNING LIGHT FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER. (PILOT DID NOT NOTICE A CHANGE IN ENGINE TONE.) THE SHIP SETTLED TO THE GROUND, SLID, AND VIOLENTLY ROLLED ONTO THE PILOTS SIDE (RIGHT) WITH ROTORS SLAPPING THE GROUND. FUEL TANKS RUPTURED AND THE SHIP WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. PILOT AND PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES DUE TO BURNS. DISTANCE FROM TAKE OFF TO IMPACT WAS ABOUT 50 YARDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.