What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot departed the helipad at his residence near WA87 at approximately 1720 for a solo flight preparing for a private pilot check ride on April 14, 2025. Approximately 40 minutes into the flight he was flying solo at approximately 1000 feet AGL when he felt a shudder, then heard a different noise from the engine, a grinding type noise. After few seconds, an engine chip light illuminated and he immediately turned 180° to get better aligned fields he had just overflown with the intent of landing. A few seconds later the engine failed and the PIC entered an autorotation. During his deceleration, the tail of the aircraft struck the ground causing the main rotor to strike the tail boom severing the tail boom, aft of the horizontal fin causing substantial damage at approximately 1804(l)
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT DEPARTED THE HELIPAD AT HIS RESIDENCE NEAR WA87 AT APPROXIMATELY 1720 FOR A SOLO FLIGHT PREPARING FOR A PRIVATE PILOT CHECK RIDE ON APRIL 14, 2025. APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT HE WAS FLYING SOLO AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL WHEN HE FELT A SHUDDER, THEN HEARD A DIFFERENT NOISE FROM THE ENGINE, A GRINDING TYPE NOISE. AFTER FEW SECONDS, AN ENGINE CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED 180° TO GET BETTER ALIGNED FIELDS HE HAD JUST OVERFLOWN WITH THE INTENT OF LANDING. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE PIC ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION. DURING HIS DECELERATION, THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO STRIKE THE TAIL BOOM SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM, AFT OF THE HORIZONTAL FIN CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 1804(L)
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.