What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 3-13/2012, an experimental home built helicopter departed from a private helicopter pad at the owner's home, landing 1MILE away, to pick up a passenger at their home. After moving the ballast wt. For dual flight, they took off on a heading of 130 degrees. The helicopter reached an altitude of 100' – 150'FT., with an airspeed of 45MPH, when the pilot felt what he described as an momentary engine shudder; then the engine returned to normal operation. The pilot stopped the climb, checked the instruments, and started an immediate left turn to return back to the nearest landing spot, which was 180 degrees behind them. At 90 degrees into the turn, the engine shuddered again. Full throttle was applied with no response. The engine RPM dropped from 2700 to 1500 RPM, and the pilot entered in to an autorotation, landing in a power line right of way in the top of a 15 ft. tall, 6IN diameter tree. The tree was on the edge of a creek bank. The creek bank gave way with the tree toppling over, and the helicopter landed on its left side into the creek. After impact, a fire started in the engine compartment and spread in to the cockpit area, causing fire damage to the cockpit and engine compartment. Both occupants exited the helicopter with minor burns.
As the FAA filed it
ON 3-13/2012, AN EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM A PRIVATE HELICOPTER PAD AT THE OWNER'S HOME, LANDING 1MILE AWAY, TO PICK UP A PASSENGER AT THEIR HOME. AFTER MOVING THE BALLAST WT. FOR DUAL FLIGHT, THEY TOOK OFF ON A HEADING OF 130 DEGREES. THE HELICOPTER REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 100' – 150'FT., WITH AN AIRSPEED OF 45MPH, WHEN THE PILOT FELT WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS AN MOMENTARY ENGINE SHUDDER; THEN THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THE PILOT STOPPED THE CLIMB, CHECKED THE INSTRUMENTS, AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE LEFT TURN TO RETURN BACK TO THE NEAREST LANDING SPOT, WHICH WAS 180 DEGREES BEHIND THEM. AT 90 DEGREES INTO THE TURN, THE ENGINE SHUDDERED AGAIN. FULL THROTTLE WAS APPLIED WITH NO RESPONSE. THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED FROM 2700 TO 1500 RPM, AND THE PILOT ENTERED IN TO AN AUTOROTATION, LANDING IN A POWER LINE RIGHT OF WAY IN THE TOP OF A 15 FT. TALL, 6IN DIAMETER TREE. THE TREE WAS ON THE EDGE OF A CREEK BANK. THE CREEK BANK GAVE WAY WITH THE TREE TOPPLING OVER, AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED ON ITS LEFT SIDE INTO THE CREEK. AFTER IMPACT, A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SPREAD IN TO THE COCKPIT AREA, CAUSING FIRE DAMAGE TO THE COCKPIT AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE HELICOPTER WITH MINOR BURNS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.