Narrative
On the return flight to Newton Airport, the pilot decided to divert and land on his farm. As he began his landing approach at dusk, the landing light was inoperative, prompting the pilot to abort the landing. When he added power, he heard a noise from either the transmission or the rotors. In response, he decided to perform a precautionary landing on a golf course adjacent to his farm, which he knew well.
During the roll after touchdown, the helicopter struck a dirt bank, which damaged the right skid. The pilot then put the helicopter into a hover and subsequently settled it onto the golf course. After landing, the helicopter rolled to the right.
Damage
The right skid of the helicopter was damaged as a result of striking a dirt bank during the landing roll.