What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
When maneuvering a right hand turn, the pilot heard a change in engine noise and felt a slight vibration. He then saw an engine chip light, followed by a fadec degraded light. He set up for landing with power, heading for a clearing in mountainous terrain approximately 10200 asl. Engine RPM went to 0 approximately 150' AGL, and pilot stated he maintained airspeed and completed an autorotation into deep snow. The aircraft impacted hard, slid for a few feet and then rolled onto left side. Substantial damage to rotor system, transmission deck, and the tailboom was severed from fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
WHEN MANEUVERING A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE PILOT HEARD A CHANGE IN ENGINE NOISE AND FELT A SLIGHT VIBRATION. HE THEN SAW AN ENGINE CHIP LIGHT, FOLLOWED BY A FADEC DEGRADED LIGHT. HE SET UP FOR LANDING WITH POWER, HEADING FOR A CLEARING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 10200 ASL. ENGINE RPM WENT TO 0 APPROXIMATELY 150' AGL, AND PILOT STATED HE MAINTAINED AIRSPEED AND COMPLETED AN AUTOROTATION INTO DEEP SNOW. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED HARD, SLID FOR A FEW FEET AND THEN ROLLED ONTO LEFT SIDE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ROTOR SYSTEM, TRANSMISSION DECK, AND THE TAILBOOM WAS SEVERED FROM FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.