What happened
The helicopter was conducting a standard approach to Beverly Airport. Air traffic control cleared the aircraft to cross runway 27 from the southeast. As the pilot prepared for landing, they observed that the ground conditions were compromised by ongoing construction work, which had left the area extremely muddy.
In response to these hazardous surface conditions, the pilot initiated an autorotation maneuver. However, realizing the severity of the terrain issues at the last moment, the pilot attempted to shift direction abruptly. This late maneuver proved insufficient, and the helicopter impacted a soft, muddy slope.