What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed potsdam kptd around 3 pm on Sunday, January 28. I was about 6 miles from Harrisville on a direct course at 80 KTS and 500 feet AGL. I felt the engine sputter once and then quit altogether. I entered autorotation and shot for a low-lying valley with the shortest trees as my only option. The helicopter came to rest in a near Vertical autorotation and the main rotor and tail rotor impacted trees. Other damage included the wheeled landing gear. I exited the aircraft and hiked out of the woods to the nearby road where I was picked up by an associate. I was the only occupant of the aircraft and was uninjured.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED POTSDAM KPTD AROUND 3 PM ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 28. I WAS ABOUT 6 MILES FROM HARRISVILLE ON A DIRECT COURSE AT 80 KTS AND 500 FEET AGL. I FELT THE ENGINE SPUTTER ONCE AND THEN QUIT ALTOGETHER. I ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND SHOT FOR A LOW-LYING VALLEY WITH THE SHORTEST TREES AS MY ONLY OPTION. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST IN A NEAR VERTICAL AUTOROTATION AND THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR IMPACTED TREES. OTHER DAMAGE INCLUDED THE WHEELED LANDING GEAR. I EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND HIKED OUT OF THE WOODS TO THE NEARBY ROAD WHERE I WAS PICKED UP BY AN ASSOCIATE. I WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS UNINJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.