What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 15, 2011 at appox. 1300 local time, helicopter N60SRW departed stellar airpark (P19) Chandler, AZ. The flight was a transition training flight. Onboard were the flight instructor and the private pilot receiving transition training into this make of aircraft. 30 minutes into the flight, the instructor felt a jolt of the aircraft followed by a loud banging. The engine parameters were also erratic. At this time the instructor elected to reduce power and enter an autorotation. He selected a clear area and set up for the landing. Upon touchdown the helicopter skids settled into the soft sandy terrain until the tips of the skids dug in causing the helicopter to pitch slowly forward where the main rotor blades contacted the ground and severed the tailboom. The helicopter came to rest on it's left side with substantial damage. Neither occupant was injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 15, 2011 AT APPOX. 1300 LOCAL TIME, HELICOPTER N60SRW DEPARTED STELLAR AIRPARK (P19) CHANDLER, AZ. THE FLIGHT WAS A TRANSITION TRAINING FLIGHT. ONBOARD WERE THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVING TRANSITION TRAINING INTO THIS MAKE OF AIRCRAFT. 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR FELT A JOLT OF THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWED BY A LOUD BANGING. THE ENGINE PARAMETERS WERE ALSO ERRATIC. AT THIS TIME THE INSTRUCTOR ELECTED TO REDUCE POWER AND ENTER AN AUTOROTATION. HE SELECTED A CLEAR AREA AND SET UP FOR THE LANDING. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE HELICOPTER SKIDS SETTLED INTO THE SOFT SANDY TERRAIN UNTIL THE TIPS OF THE SKIDS DUG IN CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO PITCH SLOWLY FORWARD WHERE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON IT'S LEFT SIDE WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER OCCUPANT WAS INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.