What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot of the news helicopter was conducting news gathering operations in the atlanta metro area. While shooting footage of 3 planned locations the pilot got contacted via radio of a 4th location to photograph breaking news. While on the scene of the 4th location the pilot noted the fuel pump caution light illuminated. The pilot checked the fuel PSI guage which checked normal. The pilot decided to immediately depart for pdk. Upon entering pdk airspace the pilot requested to land on helipad charlie, however there was another helicopter on the pad. The pilot requested to land directly on the ramp and was given authorization to land at his own risk. At approx. 200 AGL and 40 knots the engine began hiccuping and then cut out. The pilot attempted autorotation and put the helicopter down on the ramp resulting in a hard landing.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT OF THE NEWS HELICOPTER WAS CONDUCTING NEWS GATHERING OPERATIONS IN THE ATLANTA METRO AREA. WHILE SHOOTING FOOTAGE OF 3 PLANNED LOCATIONS THE PILOT GOT CONTACTED VIA RADIO OF A 4TH LOCATION TO PHOTOGRAPH BREAKING NEWS. WHILE ON THE SCENE OF THE 4TH LOCATION THE PILOT NOTED THE FUEL PUMP CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT CHECKED THE FUEL PSI GUAGE WHICH CHECKED NORMAL. THE PILOT DECIDED TO IMMEDIATELY DEPART FOR PDK. UPON ENTERING PDK AIRSPACE THE PILOT REQUESTED TO LAND ON HELIPAD CHARLIE, HOWEVER THERE WAS ANOTHER HELICOPTER ON THE PAD. THE PILOT REQUESTED TO LAND DIRECTLY ON THE RAMP AND WAS GIVEN AUTHORIZATION TO LAND AT HIS OWN RISK. AT APPROX. 200 AGL AND 40 KNOTS THE ENGINE BEGAN HICCUPING AND THEN CUT OUT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AUTOROTATION AND PUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN ON THE RAMP RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.