What happened
The accident occurred while the helicopter was in cruise flight. The pilot reported that he perceived a simultaneous loss of engine power and rotor revolutions per minute (RPM). In response to this mechanical anomaly, the pilot initiated an autorotation to maintain rotor speed and control the descent.
During the autorotative descent, the pilot successfully regained the necessary RPM to sustain controlled flight. Rather than attempting an immediate emergency landing elsewhere, the pilot elected to continue the descent toward a planned landing site. Upon touchdown, the aircraft encountered soft ground conditions which contributed to the loss of directional control. The helicopter subsequently rolled over onto its side.
The investigation
Examination of the circumstances revealed that the pilot had been issued a rotorcraft-helicopter private pilot certificate only three days prior to the accident. This indicates the pilot was in the early stages of certification at the time of the event.