What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and two passengers departed from the pilot?s home heading to one of the passenger?s ranch. Enroute and at about 700 ft AGL, the pilot heard a loud grinding sound and immediately lost engine power. The pilot initiated an auto-rotation to the ground and landed in approximately 24 inches of snow. During landing, the rear skids touched the snow first and because of the slope of the ground under the snow, the front skids dropped about 12 inches which forced the tail boom up into the turning main rotor blades.
The helicopter is currently in an area that's inaccessible to investigators. NTSB, airframe, and engine investigators will conduct their investigation in late may 2020 to determine the probable cause.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED FROM THE PILOT?S HOME HEADING TO ONE OF THE PASSENGER?S RANCH. ENROUTE AND AT ABOUT 700 FT AGL, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY LOST ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTO-ROTATION TO THE GROUND AND LANDED IN APPROXIMATELY 24 INCHES OF SNOW. DURING LANDING, THE REAR SKIDS TOUCHED THE SNOW FIRST AND BECAUSE OF THE SLOPE OF THE GROUND UNDER THE SNOW, THE FRONT SKIDS DROPPED ABOUT 12 INCHES WHICH FORCED THE TAIL BOOM UP INTO THE TURNING MAIN ROTOR BLADES.
THE HELICOPTER IS CURRENTLY IN AN AREA THAT'S INACCESSIBLE TO INVESTIGATORS. NTSB, AIRFRAME, AND ENGINE INVESTIGATORS WILL CONDUCT THEIR INVESTIGATION IN LATE MAY 2020 TO DETERMINE THE PROBABLE CAUSE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.