What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 02/13/2018 at approximately 14:15 pm EST aircraft N471RA departed hangar located at 4624 parman rd. in Stockbridge, MI. With one pilot and one female passenger on board. Pilot was maneuvering aircraft into a right hand turn at approximately 15-20 ft. AGL when the aircraft impacted the ground on it?s forward right side resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, skid, main rotor blades and rotorhead. The engine was running upon impact and the pilot was unable to shut down due to a damaged fuel shutoff lever. The pilot and passenger climbed out of the aircraft and left the vicinity, fearing a possible fire or explosion. Total flight distance from takeoff to crash sight was approximately 300 yards. Both occupants sustained minor cuts. Weather was VMC with mild winds at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON 02/13/2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:15 PM EST AIRCRAFT N471RA DEPARTED HANGAR LOCATED AT 4624 PARMAN RD. IN STOCKBRIDGE, MI. WITH ONE PILOT AND ONE FEMALE PASSENGER ON BOARD. PILOT WAS MANEUVERING AIRCRAFT INTO A RIGHT HAND TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 FT. AGL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ON IT?S FORWARD RIGHT SIDE RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, SKID, MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND ROTORHEAD. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING UPON IMPACT AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SHUT DOWN DUE TO A DAMAGED FUEL SHUTOFF LEVER. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER CLIMBED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LEFT THE VICINITY, FEARING A POSSIBLE FIRE OR EXPLOSION. TOTAL FLIGHT DISTANCE FROM TAKEOFF TO CRASH SIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR CUTS. WEATHER WAS VMC WITH MILD WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.