What happened
During the initial climb, while at an estimated altitude of approximately 200 feet above the ground, the engine sputtered several times before clearing itself. Following a second instance of engine sputtering, the pilot initiated an autorotation procedure involving a 180-degree turn. During this maneuver, the airspeed decreased, prompting the pilot to lower the nose of the helicopter in an attempt to regain airspeed.
The aircraft landed hard in a slightly nose-low attitude and slid for approximately 50 feet. As the landing gear skids dug into the soft ground, the helicopter nosed over and came to rest on its right side. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
An examination of the engine was conducted, and no anomalies were found that could have prevented normal operation.