What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
29 July 2018 - Robinson R-44 departed Bettles, Alaska on runway 20. Prior to departure, the pilot had fueled the aircraft, conducted a preflight inspection, and completed a "15-20" minute ground run.
After the aircraft reached roughly 500 feet AGL, and 3-4 minutes of flight, the engine stopped without warning. The helicopter entered an auto rotation and settled into a marshy area. Due to ground conditions being unstable, the aircraft sank through the mat and the rotor blades made contact with the tailboom. The ELT was not activated and there were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
29 JULY 2018 - ROBINSON R-44 DEPARTED BETTLES, ALASKA ON RUNWAY 20. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT HAD FUELED THE AIRCRAFT, CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AND COMPLETED A "15-20" MINUTE GROUND RUN.
AFTER THE AIRCRAFT REACHED ROUGHLY 500 FEET AGL, AND 3-4 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THE HELICOPTER ENTERED AN AUTO ROTATION AND SETTLED INTO A MARSHY AREA. DUE TO GROUND CONDITIONS BEING UNSTABLE, THE AIRCRAFT SANK THROUGH THE MAT AND THE ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH THE TAILBOOM. THE ELT WAS NOT ACTIVATED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.