What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot lifted off at AZ25 for aerial application with 12-15 gallons of fuel and 98 gallons of product. After the first pass the pilot started a turn back to the field at approximately 20 knots and 45 degrees of bank. During the turn, the stick began to shake. The pilot completed the maneuver and leveled off. The stick shaking intensified and the low Rotor RPM illuminated. The pilot recalls the master warning also being lit. He continued on an east heading looking for a landing location. As the Rotor RPM continued to decrease he decided to set the helicopter down but still had forward momentum. On contact with the ground, the main Rotor flexed and struck the tail section, severing it from the fuselage. The helicopter yawed to the right with the left front skid making contact with the ground. This caused the helicopter to pitch up and roll onto its right side.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT LIFTED OFF AT AZ25 FOR AERIAL APPLICATION WITH 12-15 GALLONS OF FUEL AND 98 GALLONS OF PRODUCT. AFTER THE FIRST PASS THE PILOT STARTED A TURN BACK TO THE FIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 20 KNOTS AND 45 DEGREES OF BANK. DURING THE TURN, THE STICK BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE PILOT COMPLETED THE MANEUVER AND LEVELED OFF. THE STICK SHAKING INTENSIFIED AND THE LOW ROTOR RPM ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT RECALLS THE MASTER WARNING ALSO BEING LIT. HE CONTINUED ON AN EAST HEADING LOOKING FOR A LANDING LOCATION. AS THE ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE HE DECIDED TO SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN BUT STILL HAD FORWARD MOMENTUM. ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, THE MAIN ROTOR FLEXED AND STRUCK THE TAIL SECTION, SEVERING IT FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RIGHT WITH THE LEFT FRONT SKID MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THIS CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO PITCH UP AND ROLL ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.