What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 01/23/2019, a pilot was operating aircraft from mfr, home base, under part 91, building hours. While flying at approximately 62DEG heading, at low airspeed, the aircraft impacted large trees then dropped to steep heavily forested terrain. The aircraft was destroyed with no post-crash fire. Aircraft had fuel on board. Debris field was approximately 100 yards in all directions from where the airframe came to rest. Main rotor blades were destroyed from dynamic impact. Tail rotor had minor dynamic leading edge damage, blades were folded mid span. Skid tubes and cross tubes were torn from the aircraft. The airframe and tail boom were destroyed. The mrh, mr transmission, mast, and mrb root ends were intact and centrally located in debris field. ELT installed and operating, antenna was torn loose.
As the FAA filed it
ON 01/23/2019, A PILOT WAS OPERATING AIRCRAFT FROM MFR, HOME BASE, UNDER PART 91, BUILDING HOURS. WHILE FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 62DEG HEADING, AT LOW AIRSPEED, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED LARGE TREES THEN DROPPED TO STEEP HEAVILY FORESTED TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED WITH NO POST-CRASH FIRE. AIRCRAFT HAD FUEL ON BOARD. DEBRIS FIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS IN ALL DIRECTIONS FROM WHERE THE AIRFRAME CAME TO REST. MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DESTROYED FROM DYNAMIC IMPACT. TAIL ROTOR HAD MINOR DYNAMIC LEADING EDGE DAMAGE, BLADES WERE FOLDED MID SPAN. SKID TUBES AND CROSS TUBES WERE TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRFRAME AND TAIL BOOM WERE DESTROYED. THE MRH, MR TRANSMISSION, MAST, AND MRB ROOT ENDS WERE INTACT AND CENTRALLY LOCATED IN DEBRIS FIELD. ELT INSTALLED AND OPERATING, ANTENNA WAS TORN LOOSE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.