What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 21, 2012, N7507K, a Robinson R-44, departed Lamesa airport, in Lamesa, Texas, with one passenger. The helicopter departed and traveled northwest to an open field adjacent to Texas state roads 1066 and 120 in gaines county. The helicopter landed and picked up two additional passengers. The pilot brought the helicopter to a hover and believed he had sufficient power to takeoff out of ground affect. The pilot stated he lost rotor RPM and impacted the ground. The rotor impacted the tail boom causing substantial damage. The fuselage rotated to the right 90 degrees and rolled to the left. One of the passengers sustained minor injuries. The helicopter received substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 21, 2012, N7507K, A ROBINSON R-44, DEPARTED LAMESA AIRPORT, IN LAMESA, TEXAS, WITH ONE PASSENGER. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED AND TRAVELED NORTHWEST TO AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO TEXAS STATE ROADS 1066 AND 120 IN GAINES COUNTY. THE HELICOPTER LANDED AND PICKED UP TWO ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS.THE PILOT BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER AND BELIEVED HE HAD SUFFICIENT POWER TO TAKEOFF OUT OF GROUND AFFECT. THE PILOT STATED HE LOST ROTOR RPM AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE ROTOR IMPACTED THE TAIL BOOM CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FUSELAGE ROTATED TO THE RIGHT 90 DEGREES AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT.ONE OF THE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.