What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power on climbout. Turned back to land. During landing main rotors hit tailboom. Indicates hard landing. (-23) the pilot stated that on July 26, 1997, at approximately 1715 he took off from the knox county fairgrounds. He was carrying 2 passengers for a sight-seeing ride. During the climbout, he experienced a loss of power. He said that he made a right turn to land at the site that he just departed from. During the landing, the main rotorblades struck the tall boom, and the tail was damaged causing substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ON CLIMBOUT. TURNED BACK TO LAND. DURING LANDING MAIN ROTORS HIT TAILBOOM. INDICATES HARD LANDING. (-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT ON JULY 26, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 1715 HE TOOK OFF FROM THE KNOX COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. HE WAS CARRYING 2 PASSENGERS FOR A SIGHT-SEEING RIDE. DURING THE CLIMBOUT, HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. HE SAID THAT HE MADE A RIGHT TURN TO LAND AT THE SITE THAT HE JUST DEPARTED FROM. DURING THE LANDING, THE MAIN ROTORBLADES STRUCK THE TALL BOOM, AND THE TAIL WAS DAMAGED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.