What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was preparing to sling a metal utility pole. As the pilot picked up the load, one of the sling lines snagged. Although ground personnel saw what was happening, the line slipped off before they were able to radio the pilot. The pilot had not veified the security of the load. When this occurred, a shock was transmitted through the airframe to the main rotor system. The pilot felt the resonance and put the load back on the ground. The resonance increased, however, and the pilot jettisoned the sling. The control response was becoming mushy and he felt he was losing aircraft control, so he initiated a precautionary landing. The aircraft was over an upslope, and as the aircraft touched down, the stinger and tailrotor struck the ground.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS PREPARING TO SLING A METAL UTILITY POLE. AS THE PILOT PICKED UP THE LOAD, ONE OF THE SLING LINES SNAGGED. ALTHOUGH GROUND PERSONNEL SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THE LINE SLIPPED OFF BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO RADIO THE PILOT. THE PILOT HAD NOT VEIFIED THE SECURITY OF THE LOAD. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, A SHOCK WAS TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE AIRFRAME TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM. THE PILOT FELT THE RESONANCE AND PUT THE LOAD BACK ON THE GROUND. THE RESONANCE INCREASED, HOWEVER, AND THE PILOT JETTISONED THE SLING. THE CONTROL RESPONSE WAS BECOMING MUSHY AND HE FELT HE WAS LOSING AIRCRAFT CONTROL, SO HE INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER AN UPSLOPE, AND AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, THE STINGER AND TAILROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.