What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC was evaluating applicant pilot for hire in this type aircraft for cherry drying flying. Applicant was at controls, rotor system lost power, aircraft had an engine over-speed and it failed. Evaluating pilot (PIC) heard a "bang", saw the over-speed on the tachometer, saw applicant pilot "frozen" on the controls, PIC then took control and executed a very low auto-rotation, from about 20-50 ft. aircraft settled hard, breaking tail boom at main fuselage attach point, and landing gear. PIC and applicant pilot exited aircraft. No fire. PIC received minor facial bruises from cyclic as result of the hard landing. No injuries to the other pilot.
As the FAA filed it
PIC WAS EVALUATING APPLICANT PILOT FOR HIRE IN THIS TYPE AIRCRAFT FOR CHERRY DRYING FLYING. APPLICANT WAS AT CONTROLS, ROTOR SYSTEM LOST POWER, AIRCRAFT HAD AN ENGINE OVER-SPEED AND IT FAILED. EVALUATING PILOT (PIC) HEARD A "BANG", SAW THE OVER-SPEED ON THE TACHOMETER, SAW APPLICANT PILOT "FROZEN" ON THE CONTROLS, PIC THEN TOOK CONTROL AND EXECUTED A VERY LOW AUTO-ROTATION, FROM ABOUT 20-50 FT. AIRCRAFT SETTLED HARD, BREAKING TAIL BOOM AT MAIN FUSELAGE ATTACH POINT, AND LANDING GEAR. PIC AND APPLICANT PILOT EXITED AIRCRAFT. NO FIRE. PIC RECEIVED MINOR FACIAL BRUISES FROM CYCLIC AS RESULT OF THE HARD LANDING. NO INJURIES TO THE OTHER PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.