What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 1800 hrs. The pilot departed sky Harbor airport (phx) to the south after granted clearance for a south departure from ATC. After checking the fuel and completing the departure checklist for takeoff , listening to weather and setting the baro altimeter he started a normal hover to take off. After obtaining 1500 feet on the baro altimeter he felt a unexpected 6 ft yaw to the left. He tried to correct but could not. He looked at the engine RPM which was reading zero engine RPM and rotor speed was coming out of the green. He then went down collective, full rt pedal and aft cyclic. He scanned for a landing area and auto rotated to the accident site in the salt river bed. After on the ground he turned the engine off and exited the aircraft normally. Only minor scarches was received by the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 HRS. THE PILOT DEPARTED SKY HARBOR AIRPORT (PHX) TO THE SOUTH AFTER GRANTED CLEARANCE FOR A SOUTH DEPARTURE FROM ATC. AFTER CHECKING THE FUEL AND COMPLETING THE DEPARTURE CHECKLIST FOR TAKEOFF , LISTENING TO WEATHER AND SETTING THE BARO ALTIMETER HE STARTED A NORMAL HOVER TO TAKE OFF. AFTER OBTAINING 1500 FEET ON THE BARO ALTIMETER HE FELT A UNEXPECTED 6 FT YAW TO THE LEFT. HE TRIED TO CORRECT BUT COULD NOT. HE LOOKED AT THE ENGINE RPM WHICH WAS READING ZERO ENGINE RPM AND ROTOR SPEED WAS COMING OUT OF THE GREEN. HE THEN WENT DOWN COLLECTIVE, FULL RT PEDAL AND AFT CYCLIC. HE SCANNED FOR A LANDING AREA AND AUTO ROTATED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE IN THE SALT RIVER BED. AFTER ON THE GROUND HE TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT NORMALLY. ONLY MINOR SCARCHES WAS RECEIVED BY THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.