What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 26, 2013, at approximately 1540 MDT, N744KA, a Robinson Helicopter Company model R-44 ii, registered to king ag leasing, inc., was on a local flight under visual flight rules north of Clayton, NM (cao) when it impacted the ground after an obstacle avoidance maneuver. The helicopter with a pilot and three passengers departed cao at approximately 1500 MDT to view the area where the passengers had hunted the previous weekend. While cruising at approximately 50 feet AGL the aircraft approached an intersection of electrical power lines from the south. The pilot initiated a maximum performance cyclic climb and increased power. The helicopter cleared the power lines but, in doing so, lost airspeed and main rotor energy resulting in the aircraft striking the ground and rolling over. The passengers suffered non-life threatening injuries (e. g.: broken ribs; concussion; lacerations and/or blunt force trauma). The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 26, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 1540 MDT, N744KA, A ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY MODEL R-44 II, REGISTERED TO KING AG LEASING, INC., WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES NORTH OF CLAYTON, NM (CAO) WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND AFTER AN OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE MANEUVER. THE HELICOPTER WITH A PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS DEPARTED CAO AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 MDT TO VIEW THE AREA WHERE THE PASSENGERS HAD HUNTED THE PREVIOUS WEEKEND. WHILE CRUISING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION OF ELECTRICAL POWER LINES FROM THE SOUTH. THE PILOT INITIATED A MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE CYCLIC CLIMB AND INCREASED POWER. THE HELICOPTER CLEARED THE POWER LINES BUT, IN DOING SO, LOST AIRSPEED AND MAIN ROTOR ENERGY RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STRIKING THE GROUND AND ROLLING OVER. THE PASSENGERS SUFFERED NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES (E. G.: BROKEN RIBS; CONCUSSION; LACERATIONS AND/OR BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA). THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.