What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Upon departure from the ramp area, at approximately 30 ft AGL and at 30 KIAS, the pilot indicated they heard and felt a loud ?bang?, followed by a noticeable reduction in engine RPM. The pilot then observed the low rotor RPM horn and warning light, and entered into an autorotation. Upon landing on the taxiway, the aircraft received substantial damage to the tail section and landing gear.
Two witnesses on the ground observed the aircraft?s departure, each noting an audible ?pop? Followed by a partial reduction in engine RPM as the aircraft climbed to approximately 30 ft AGL. One witnesses on the ground observed the pilot shut down the engine post landing.
During the post-crash teardown, separation between the outer and inner layers of the engine air induction hose, Robinson part number A785-31, manufacturing batch code 3Q17, was observed. The air induction hose was sent to the NTSB lab for further testing and could not be determined as a causal factor the investigation.
As the FAA filed it
UPON DEPARTURE FROM THE RAMP AREA, AT APPROXIMATELY 30 FT AGL AND AT 30 KIAS, THE PILOT INDICATED THEY HEARD AND FELT A LOUD ?BANG?, FOLLOWED BY A NOTICEABLE REDUCTION IN ENGINE RPM. THE PILOT THEN OBSERVED THE LOW ROTOR RPM HORN AND WARNING LIGHT, AND ENTERED INTO AN AUTOROTATION. UPON LANDING ON THE TAXIWAY, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL SECTION AND LANDING GEAR.
TWO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT?S DEPARTURE, EACH NOTING AN AUDIBLE ?POP? FOLLOWED BY A PARTIAL REDUCTION IN ENGINE RPM AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 30 FT AGL. ONE WITNESSES ON THE GROUND OBSERVED THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE POST LANDING.
DURING THE POST-CRASH TEARDOWN, SEPARATION BETWEEN THE OUTER AND INNER LAYERS OF THE ENGINE AIR INDUCTION HOSE, ROBINSON PART NUMBER A785-31, MANUFACTURING BATCH CODE 3Q17, WAS OBSERVED. THE AIR INDUCTION HOSE WAS SENT TO THE NTSB LAB FOR FURTHER TESTING AND COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AS A CAUSAL FACTOR THE INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.