What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While hovering at approx 500' the aircraft experienced settling with power, and near simultaneously, loss of tail rotor effectiveness. While the pilot attempted to take corrective action, insufficient altitude existed to recover. The pilot cannot remember anything beyond 250' in the descent. The aircraft impacted in a near level attitude, vertical flight path, and at an apparent high rate of descent. The lack of damage to the main rotor blades would suggest the rotor being driven (power ). While there was no post-crash fire, substantial damage occured to the aircraft, with serious injuries to the passengers.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE HOVERING AT APPROX 500' THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED SETTLING WITH POWER, AND NEAR SIMULTANEOUSLY, LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. WHILE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE EXISTED TO RECOVER. THE PILOT CANNOT REMEMBER ANYTHING BEYOND 250' IN THE DESCENT.THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE, VERTICAL FLIGHT PATH, AND AT AN APPARENT HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. THE LACK OF DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WOULD SUGGEST THE ROTOR BEING DRIVEN (POWER ). WHILE THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURED TO THE AIRCRAFT, WITH SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.