The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report about the helicopter crash on Sept. 8 that killed Montgomery Gentry’s Troy Gentry, 50,and helicopter pilot James Evan Robinson.

A handful of takeaways:

• According to the chief flight instructor for the operator, the purpose of the flight was to provide an orientation/pleasure flight to the passenger who was scheduled to perform in a concert on the airport later that evening.
• Several minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported over the airport UNICOM frequency that he was unable to control engine rpm with throttle inputs.
• The pilot elected to stop the engine and perform an autorotation, which was a familiar procedure he had performed numerous times in the past.
• During the descent, the rotor rpm decayed to the point where the instructor could see the individual rotor blades. The helicopter descended from view prior to reaching the runway threshold and the sounds of impact were heard.
• The cockpit was significantly deformed by impact damage, and the tailboom was separated at the fuselage.

Read the full story (source): National Transportation Safety Board Releases Preliminary Report on Helicopter Crash That Killed Troy Gentry & Pilot