Incident Overview
A helicopter conducting a photographic flight encountered a loss of rotor RPM and subsequently settled into a field of mature corn. The aircraft sustained damage when the main rotor blades and tail rotor collided during touchdown.
Sequence of Events
The flight was intended to capture images of a piece of farm equipment. During the first pass, the helicopter flew at approximately 50 feet above ground level (AGL) heading into the wind. After completing this pass, the pilot turned the aircraft downwind, back toward the farm equipment. Shortly after initiating the turn, the helicopter lost rotor RPM and began to settle. The pilot reported that the airspeed gauge indicated zero at that time. Despite efforts to recover the rotor RPM, the helicopter touched down in a nose-high attitude within the cornfield. The impact caused the main rotor blades and tail rotor to collide.
Outcome
The helicopter came to rest in the cornfield with damage resulting from the rotor collision. No further details about the aircraft or occupants are specified in the source.