THE HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING AFTER THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A POWER TRAIN FAILURE WHILE FLYING LOW AND SLOW. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE CREW WAS SEARCHING FOR LOST MINING EQUIPMENT IN A LOW SLOW SEARCH PATTERN. THE PILOT HEARD THE ENGINE OUT AUDIO IN HIS HEAD SET AS HE WAS LOOKING OUT. HE MANAGED TO AVOID TREES WHILE DESCENDING BUT MADE A HARD LANDING ON A STEEP SLOPE AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..DOWNHILL

Contributing Factors

AUTOROTATION..ATTEMPTED..PILOT IN COMMAND

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