What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 5, 2012 at 6:45AM a Robinson R-22 N104MH privacy data omitted of air kraft sprayers timber lake, SD, was in cruise flight during predator control operations. VMC weather condition prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot stated he heard the low rotor warning and immeadieately dropped the collective and entered an auto rotation. He could not determine why he lost rotor RPM. During the autorotation he hit a small tree which resulted in the helicopter rolling on its side. The helicopter received substantial damaged. The pilot was injured with broken ribs and a cracked collarbone. The pilot duane j, kraft holds a commercial pilot certificate. The flight originated at timber lake, SD on April 5, 2012 at 6:30 am MDT.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 5, 2012 AT 6:45AM A ROBINSON R-22 N104MH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF AIR KRAFT SPRAYERS TIMBER LAKE, SD, WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT DURING PREDATOR CONTROL OPERATIONS. VMC WEATHER CONDITION PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD THE LOW ROTOR WARNING AND IMMEADIEATELY DROPPED THE COLLECTIVE AND ENTERED AN AUTO ROTATION. HE COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY HE LOST ROTOR RPM. DURING THE AUTOROTATION HE HIT A SMALL TREE WHICH RESULTED IN THE HELICOPTER ROLLING ON ITS SIDE. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS INJURED WITH BROKEN RIBS AND A CRACKED COLLARBONE. THE PILOT DUANE J, KRAFT HOLDS A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT TIMBER LAKE, SD ON APRIL 5, 2012 AT 6:30 AM MDT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.