What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 2/24/2014, at 13:30, a Robinson R-44 ii, helicopter bearing registration number N360AH, registered to nopal services LLC, was hovering above the ground at about 12-15 feet. The pilot started to transition and lost sufficient power to maintain altitude, low rotor RPM horn sounded, dropped the collective, try to "fly out of it", but too close to the ground, lost tail rotor effectiveness. Started to spin at 5 feet above the ground, made 1 revolution, then tried to put it down, ground was unlevel, picked the helicopter up, but could not recover, hit surface from a couple of feet and rolled over on side; at private ranch south of Marfa, Texas. The helicopter was being operated on a visual flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, and one passenger sustained minor, injuries. The flight originated from private ranch on 2/24/2014 at 1330.
As the FAA filed it
ON 2/24/2014, AT 13:30, A ROBINSON R-44 II, HELICOPTER BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N360AH, REGISTERED TO NOPAL SERVICES LLC, WAS HOVERING ABOVE THE GROUND AT ABOUT 12-15 FEET. THE PILOT STARTED TO TRANSITION AND LOST SUFFICIENT POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, LOW ROTOR RPM HORN SOUNDED, DROPPED THE COLLECTIVE, TRY TO "FLY OUT OF IT", BUT TOO CLOSE TO THE GROUND, LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. STARTED TO SPIN AT 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, MADE 1 REVOLUTION, THEN TRIED TO PUT IT DOWN, GROUND WAS UNLEVEL, PICKED THE HELICOPTER UP, BUT COULD NOT RECOVER, HIT SURFACE FROM A COUPLE OF FEET AND ROLLED OVER ON SIDE; AT PRIVATE RANCH SOUTH OF MARFA, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED ON A VISUAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR, INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM PRIVATE RANCH ON 2/24/2014 AT 1330.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.