What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Contributing factors include power mismanagement with an steep approach angle and inappropriate airspeed too fast to make the intended point of landing (ridgeline lz). The R44 was operating within gross weight and CG but that was at the very upper limits of the performance charts at current weight, temperature, and altitude (2360LBS, 20C, 5600MSL). The pilot had flown to that lz three times that day earlier in the morning under cooler temperature conditions adding to the human factors side of the accident. On the event flight, the pilot mentioned he felt rushed to impress his family members aboard and performed a tighter turn than normal coming around to land. It was discovered that the approach path was a 90 degree angle to the ridgeline effectively giving no way out if there was an issue on final. privacy data omitted Stated that he flared to arrest his approach speed because he was coming in too fast. At which time he discovered he was about the same altitude as the intended landing spot. As the aircraft was slowed through etl, the pilot raised collective to gain altitude but with little to no power available the pilot lost rotor RPM and settled onto the hill where the aircraft came to rest on it?s right side. An interesting comment by the pilot was that he stated he rolled the helicopter on its right side on purpose as to not fall off the cliff.
As the FAA filed it
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE POWER MISMANAGEMENT WITH AN STEEP APPROACH ANGLE AND INAPPROPRIATE AIRSPEED TOO FAST TO MAKE THE INTENDED POINT OF LANDING (RIDGELINE LZ). THE R44 WAS OPERATING WITHIN GROSS WEIGHT AND CG BUT THAT WAS AT THE VERY UPPER LIMITS OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS AT CURRENT WEIGHT, TEMPERATURE, AND ALTITUDE (2360LBS, 20C, 5600MSL). THE PILOT HAD FLOWN TO THAT LZ THREE TIMES THAT DAY EARLIER IN THE MORNING UNDER COOLER TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS ADDING TO THE HUMAN FACTORS SIDE OF THE ACCIDENT. ON THE EVENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT MENTIONED HE FELT RUSHED TO IMPRESS HIS FAMILY MEMBERS ABOARD AND PERFORMED A TIGHTER TURN THAN NORMAL COMING AROUND TO LAND. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE APPROACH PATH WAS A 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RIDGELINE EFFECTIVELY GIVING NO WAY OUT IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE ON FINAL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE FLARED TO ARREST HIS APPROACH SPEED BECAUSE HE WAS COMING IN TOO FAST. AT WHICH TIME HE DISCOVERED HE WAS ABOUT THE SAME ALTITUDE AS THE INTENDED LANDING SPOT. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOWED THROUGH ETL, THE PILOT RAISED COLLECTIVE TO GAIN ALTITUDE BUT WITH LITTLE TO NO POWER AVAILABLE THE PILOT LOST ROTOR RPM AND SETTLED ONTO THE HILL WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON IT?S RIGHT SIDE. AN INTERESTING COMMENT BY THE PILOT WAS THAT HE STATED HE ROLLED THE HELICOPTER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE ON PURPOSE AS TO NOT FALL OFF THE CLIFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.