What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 3, 1998, approximately 1730 mountain daylight time, a Bell 206B, N992SM, was destroyed when it collided with terrain during landing near Vernal, Utah. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal cross-country flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated at steamboat springs approximately 1700. According to the helicopter owner, the pilot said he was attempting to land because his passenger was air sick, and he encountered strong quartering tailwinds. The helicopter then began to spin to the left. He corrected with opposite pedal, and the helicopter began to spin "violently" to the right. The helicopter collided with terrain and rolled over. (-23) aircraft was approaching selected landing site from the east, with quartering headwind from the southwest. Applied left pedal to align with wind at touchdown and started spinning to the left. Pilot applied right pedal to counteract and started spinning rapidly to the right. Pilot rolled power off, left skid contacted ground, collapsing, rotor drooped severing tail bo om and rotor separated from mast.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 3, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1730 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B, N992SM, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING LANDING NEAR VERNAL, UTAH. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT STEAMBOAT SPRINGS APPROXIMATELY 1700. ACCORDING TO THE HELICOPTER OWNER, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND BECAUSE HIS PASSENGER WAS AIR SICK, AND HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG QUARTERING TAILWINDS. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE LEFT. HE CORRECTED WITH OPPOSITE PEDAL, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN "VIOLENTLY" TO THE RIGHT. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AND ROLLED OVER. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING SELECTED LANDING SITE FROM THE EAST, WITH QUARTERING HEADWIND FROM THE SOUTHWEST. APPLIED LEFT PEDAL TO ALIGN WITH WIND AT TOUCHDOWN AND STARTED SPINNING TO THE LEFT. PILOT APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL TO COUNTERACT AND STARTED SPINNING RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT. PILOT ROLLED POWER OFF, LEFT SKID CONTACTED GROUND, COLLAPSING, ROTOR DROOPED SEVERING TAIL BO OM AND ROTOR SEPARATED FROM MAST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.