What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Idling rotors deplaning. Phontographer to board walked into tail rotor. Ground security measures not used. (.19) photographer approached 206 with rotors turning on rundown. Walked into tail rotor. (.4) the 7,000-hour chief pilot reported that the area was clear when he approached the Helipad, which was located on private property. After touchdown, he reduced the throttle to ground idle and told his passengers it was safe to exit. The pilot did not report that any ground (crowd control) personnel were present to assist his passengers, and no barriers existed around the Helipad area. Within less than one minute after the landing, a waiting passenger approached the helicopter from the rear. The prospective passenger became distracted due to the blowing dust and walked into the rotating tail rotor blades. Years earlier, the FAA published information alerting operators of the lack of rotating rotor blade conspicuity. Also to enhance safety, the FAA suggested that ground support personnel be available to assist passengers, and that placement of physical barriers around operation areas be placed to separate prospective passengers from hazards. No evidence was found that the helicopter o perator had ground support personnel present to assist the prospective passenger, or that it had placed restricting access devices around the Helipad area.
As the FAA filed it
IDLING ROTORS DEPLANING. PHONTOGRAPHER TO BOARD WALKED INTO TAIL ROTOR. GROUND SECURITY MEASURES NOT USED. (.19) PHOTOGRAPHER APPROACHED 206 WITH ROTORS TURNING ON RUNDOWN. WALKED INTO TAIL ROTOR. (.4) THE 7,000-HOUR CHIEF PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AREA WAS CLEAR WHEN HE APPROACHED THE HELIPAD, WHICH WAS LOCATED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO GROUND IDLE AND TOLD HIS PASSENGERS IT WAS SAFE TO EXIT. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT THAT ANY GROUND (CROWD CONTROL) PERSONNEL WERE PRESENT TO ASSIST HIS PASSENGERS, AND NO BARRIERS EXISTED AROUND THE HELIPAD AREA. WITHIN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE AFTER THE LANDING, A WAITING PASSENGER APPROACHED THE HELICOPTER FROM THE REAR. THE PROSPECTIVE PASSENGER BECAME DISTRACTED DUE TO THE BLOWING DUST AND WALKED INTO THE ROTATING TAIL ROTOR BLADES. YEARS EARLIER, THE FAA PUBLISHED INFORMATION ALERTING OPERATORS OF THE LACK OF ROTATING ROTOR BLADE CONSPICUITY. ALSO TO ENHANCE SAFETY, THE FAA SUGGESTED THAT GROUND SUPPORT PERSONNEL BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST PASSENGERS, AND THAT PLACEMENT OF PHYSICAL BARRIERS AROUND OPERATION AREAS BE PLACED TO SEPARATE PROSPECTIVE PASSENGERS FROM HAZARDS. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT THE HELICOPTER O PERATOR HAD GROUND SUPPORT PERSONNEL PRESENT TO ASSIST THE PROSPECTIVE PASSENGER, OR THAT IT HAD PLACED RESTRICTING ACCESS DEVICES AROUND THE HELIPAD AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.