Summary
Shortly after take-off, when at a height of about 150-200 feet and at a speed approaching 60 knots, the engine power warning light came on accompanied by the sound of the audio warning signal. A few seconds later there was a complete loss of engine power and the pilot placed the
aircraft into an auto-rotation descent. The aircraft sank through the layer of fog, which left moisture on the
windscreen, and emerged from the base at a high rate of descent. In the limited time available, the pilot flared
the aircraft, applied full collective pitch and attempted to level the aircraft for a run-on landing, but it struck
the ground heavily and the main rotor blades severed the tall boom. The aircraft then slid along the wet grass
surface for about 76 metres and came to rest in a normal attitude, facing 90 degrees to the left of the landing
direction.
