What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Robinson R66 helicopter was being flown by Robinson test pilot privacy data omitted to put some time on systems that Robinson was testing. After liftoff and at approx. 200 feet the PIC felt a vibration and heard a thud and decided to intiate a auto rotate landing to get the helicopter on the ground as soon as possible. When performing his landing onto a grassy area of the airport, the helicopter slid in the grass and hit a small berm of dirt causing the helicopter to tilt forward at almost 45 degree angle. The PIC then pulled back on the collective stick and when the helicopter came back down the main rotor blades made contact with the tail boom causing substantial damage to the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
ROBINSON R66 HELICOPTER WAS BEING FLOWN BY ROBINSON TEST PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO PUT SOME TIME ON SYSTEMS THAT ROBINSON WAS TESTING. AFTER LIFTOFF AND AT APPROX. 200 FEET THE PIC FELT A VIBRATION AND HEARD A THUD AND DECIDED TO INTIATE A AUTO ROTATE LANDING TO GET THE HELICOPTER ON THE GROUND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WHEN PERFORMING HIS LANDING ONTO A GRASSY AREA OF THE AIRPORT, THE HELICOPTER SLID IN THE GRASS AND HIT A SMALL BERM OF DIRT CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO TILT FORWARD AT ALMOST 45 DEGREE ANGLE. THE PIC THEN PULLED BACK ON THE COLLECTIVE STICK AND WHEN THE HELICOPTER CAME BACK DOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH THE TAIL BOOM CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.