What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/10/2021 at approximately 1500 hours I was located at the port of south Louisiana regional airport refueling N202SM. After refueling the helicopter, I entered the pilot's seat and started the aircraft. After all gauges reached the normal operating temperatures, I conducted a magneto check, and then increased the throttle until the governor took over. I brought the helicopter to a hover, and after making a radio call, I entered the taxiway and eventually runway 35 for departure to conduct traffic pattern exercises. Upon turning onto runway 35, I increased power and applied forward cyclic. I was approximately 5-10 feet above the runway and as my speed increased to approximately 20 knots the aircraft's engine lost power after making a sputtering sound. The sound was similar to when the throttle mixture is leaned to the point of fuel starvation and the engine starts to sputter. The aircraft yawed briefly to the left, and the skids made contact with the runway and the aircraft slid into the grassy area.
Upon coming to a stop, I realized that the skids were damaged, and the main rotor blades had made contact with the ground as well. I sustained zero injuries during the event.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/10/2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS I WAS LOCATED AT THE PORT OF SOUTH LOUISIANA REGIONAL AIRPORT REFUELING N202SM. AFTER REFUELING THE HELICOPTER, I ENTERED THE PILOT'S SEAT AND STARTED THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER ALL GAUGES REACHED THE NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURES, I CONDUCTED A MAGNETO CHECK, AND THEN INCREASED THE THROTTLE UNTIL THE GOVERNOR TOOK OVER. I BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER, AND AFTER MAKING A RADIO CALL, I ENTERED THE TAXIWAY AND EVENTUALLY RUNWAY 35 FOR DEPARTURE TO CONDUCT TRAFFIC PATTERN EXERCISES. UPON TURNING ONTO RUNWAY 35, I INCREASED POWER AND APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 5-10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND AS MY SPEED INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 KNOTS THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER MAKING A SPUTTERING SOUND. THE SOUND WAS SIMILAR TO WHEN THE THROTTLE MIXTURE IS LEANED TO THE POINT OF FUEL STARVATION AND THE ENGINE STARTS TO SPUTTER. THE AIRCRAFT YAWED BRIEFLY TO THE LEFT, AND THE SKIDS MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID INTO THE GRASSY AREA.
UPON COMING TO A STOP, I REALIZED THAT THE SKIDS WERE DAMAGED, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AS WELL. I SUSTAINED ZERO INJURIES DURING THE EVENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.