What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/02/2024, a pilot flying a Schweizer 269C helicopter with a registration number of privacy data omitted was taking privacy data omitted on a flight departing from the Montrose Regional Airport in Montrose, Colorado. The pilot took off from the airport at 1822(l) and flew east of the airport. The pilot decided to demonstrate an autorotation to privacy data omitted. The pilot lowered the collective while simultaneously applying aft cyclic and right pedal, the pilot then rolled the throttle off on the pilot’s collective. A short moment later, the pilot noticed that the aircraft's engine did not go to idle, but the engine had stopped. The pilot attempted an inflight restart, but the aircraft would not restart. The pilot realized he was not going to make his intended touchdown spot. The pilot maneuvered to the closest open field with mostly level ground but in an area with sagebrush. As the pilot leveled the aircraft after the decell, the aircraft began to slide over the open field on the aircraft skids. During the slide, the left skid caught and simultaneously broke off the aircraft. The helicopter fell to the left causing the main rotor blade to strike the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its left side.
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/02/2024, A PILOT FLYING A SCHWEIZER 269C HELICOPTER WITH A REGISTRATION NUMBER OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS TAKING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON A FLIGHT DEPARTING FROM THE MONTROSE REGIONAL AIRPORT IN MONTROSE, COLORADO. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE AIRPORT AT 1822(L) AND FLEW EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT DECIDED TO DEMONSTRATE AN AUTOROTATION TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING AFT CYCLIC AND RIGHT PEDAL, THE PILOT THEN ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF ON THE PILOT’S COLLECTIVE. A SHORT MOMENT LATER, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE DID NOT GO TO IDLE, BUT THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN INFLIGHT RESTART, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE HIS INTENDED TOUCHDOWN SPOT. THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO THE CLOSEST OPEN FIELD WITH MOSTLY LEVEL GROUND BUT IN AN AREA WITH SAGEBRUSH. AS THE PILOT LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE DECELL, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SLIDE OVER THE OPEN FIELD ON THE AIRCRAFT SKIDS. DURING THE SLIDE, THE LEFT SKID CAUGHT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY BROKE OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE HELICOPTER FELL TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO STRIKE THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.