What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC stated he and another pilot departed from Phoenix deer valley airport (dvt) to practice hovering autorotations. PIC completed one hovering autorotation followed by other pilot completing one. PIC stated that at approximately 0845 local time, he began the third hovering autorotation. PIC began the maneuver and at approximately 200 ft AGL at 60 KTS, PIC rolled throttle to full power and “joined the rotor RPM needle with the engines RPM needle”. PIC began flair at approximately 40-50 ft AGL and pulled in collective at approximately 10 ft AGL with the goal of settling at about a 3-5 ft AGL hover. During this, the low rotor RPM horn sounded, and PIC stated that he did not receive an engine response after increasing throttle. PIC then pulled in more collective resulting in an impact with the ground resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. This resulted in the main rotor along with the tail rotor and gearbox separating from the aircraft.
The aircraft was recovered to a secure facility for further examination. Awaiting NTSB coordination with airframe and engine manufacturers to perform teardown. Report will be amended following teardown.
As the FAA filed it
PIC STATED HE AND ANOTHER PILOT DEPARTED FROM PHOENIX DEER VALLEY AIRPORT (DVT) TO PRACTICE HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS. PIC COMPLETED ONE HOVERING AUTOROTATION FOLLOWED BY OTHER PILOT COMPLETING ONE. PIC STATED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 0845 LOCAL TIME, HE BEGAN THE THIRD HOVERING AUTOROTATION. PIC BEGAN THE MANEUVER AND AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL AT 60 KTS, PIC ROLLED THROTTLE TO FULL POWER AND “JOINED THE ROTOR RPM NEEDLE WITH THE ENGINES RPM NEEDLE”. PIC BEGAN FLAIR AT APPROXIMATELY 40-50 FT AGL AND PULLED IN COLLECTIVE AT APPROXIMATELY 10 FT AGL WITH THE GOAL OF SETTLING AT ABOUT A 3-5 FT AGL HOVER. DURING THIS, THE LOW ROTOR RPM HORN SOUNDED, AND PIC STATED THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE AN ENGINE RESPONSE AFTER INCREASING THROTTLE. PIC THEN PULLED IN MORE COLLECTIVE RESULTING IN AN IMPACT WITH THE GROUND RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THIS RESULTED IN THE MAIN ROTOR ALONG WITH THE TAIL ROTOR AND GEARBOX SEPARATING FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED TO A SECURE FACILITY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. AWAITING NTSB COORDINATION WITH AIRFRAME AND ENGINE MANUFACTURERS TO PERFORM TEARDOWN. REPORT WILL BE AMENDED FOLLOWING TEARDOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.