What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Long line failed rapped around tail rotor. Autorotated to a road. (.4)the pilot stated that while conducting external load logging operations, he was hooked up to a tree length root wad which had been knocked over and topped. He picked up the tree length and laid it over 180 degrees from its original position in order to break the roots from the ground. With the roots loose, he started a takeoff and the tree left the ground and was in the air for approximately 25-50 yards. The roots then impacted the ground; the kevlar long-line snapped about midpoint and the broken end rebounded up into the tail rotor. The pilot stated that he immediately realized he had a tail rotor failure. He informed the ground crew and found the only open area, which was approximately 100 yards from the point of failure. On the second 360 degree spin, he reduced power when the nose was pointed at the intended crash site. He stated that he realized he was too low to make it, so he pulled pitch, which put him in a rapid spin. He struck some trees on his second or third spin and then fell. After impact, he evacuated from the helicopter. (-23)during logging operation 45 miles north of Libby, MT., aircraft experienced tail rotor failure after external load cable failed and recoiled into tail rotot. Aircraft was landed on road near worksite.
As the FAA filed it
LONG LINE FAILED RAPPED AROUND TAIL ROTOR. AUTOROTATED TO A ROAD. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE CONDUCTING EXTERNAL LOAD LOGGING OPERATIONS, HE WAS HOOKED UP TO A TREE LENGTH ROOT WAD WHICH HAD BEEN KNOCKED OVER AND TOPPED. HE PICKED UP THE TREE LENGTH AND LAID IT OVER 180 DEGREES FROM ITS ORIGINAL POSITION IN ORDER TO BREAK THE ROOTS FROM THE GROUND. WITH THE ROOTS LOOSE, HE STARTED A TAKEOFF AND THE TREE LEFT THE GROUND AND WAS IN THE AIR FOR APPROXIMATELY 25-50 YARDS. THE ROOTS THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND; THE KEVLAR LONG-LINE SNAPPED ABOUT MIDPOINT AND THE BROKEN END REBOUNDED UP INTO THE TAIL ROTOR. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED HE HAD A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE. HE INFORMED THE GROUND CREW AND FOUND THE ONLY OPEN AREA, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM THE POINT OF FAILURE. ON THE SECOND 360 DEGREE SPIN, HE REDUCED POWER WHEN THE NOSE WAS POINTED AT THE INTENDED CRASH SITE. HE STATED THAT HE REALIZED HE WAS TOO LOW TO MAKE IT, SO HE PULLED PITCH, WHICH PUT HIM IN A RAPID SPIN. HE STRUCK SOME TREES ON HIS SECOND OR THIRD SPIN AND THEN FELL. AFTER IMPACT, HE EVACUATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. (-23)DURING LOGGING OPERATION 45 MILES NORTH OF LIBBY, MT., AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED TAIL ROTOR FAILURE AFTER EXTERNAL LOAD CABLE FAILED AND RECOILED INTO TAIL ROTOT. AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED ON ROAD NEAR WORKSITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.