What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Air helicopters air taxi (1969 Bell 206B helicopter) rolled over on take-off, struck the tail rotor on the ground, and the acft broke up and was destroyed, the 2 POB sustained minor injuries, other circumstances are unknown. (.4)the on-demand air taxi pilot landed the helicopter in a confined area on a narrow dirt road in close proximity to boulders and other obstructions. After the passengers had boarded, the pilot lifted the helicopter to a hover. In the process of liftoff, the lift skid contacted a boulder, and the pilot lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter struck terrain, and came to rest against a commercial building. (-23) during departure take-off, pilot allowed aircraft to drift left making contact with large rock at left rear of aircraft. Pilot overcorrected for left roll caused by left skid contact with large rock, placing tail rotor into 4 inch diameter, 3 foot pvc pipe. Tail rotor strike resulted in a crash and aircraft was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
AIR HELICOPTERS AIR TAXI (1969 BELL 206B HELICOPTER) ROLLED OVER ON TAKE-OFF, STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR ON THE GROUND, AND THE ACFT BROKE UP AND WAS DESTROYED, THE 2 POB SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4)THE ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI PILOT LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN A CONFINED AREA ON A NARROW DIRT ROAD IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO BOULDERS AND OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS. AFTER THE PASSENGERS HAD BOARDED, THE PILOT LIFTED THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER. IN THE PROCESS OF LIFTOFF, THE LIFT SKID CONTACTED A BOULDER, AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK TERRAIN, AND CAME TO REST AGAINST A COMMERCIAL BUILDING. (-23) DURING DEPARTURE TAKE-OFF, PILOT ALLOWED AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT LEFT MAKING CONTACT WITH LARGE ROCK AT LEFT REAR OF AIRCRAFT. PILOT OVERCORRECTED FOR LEFT ROLL CAUSED BY LEFT SKID CONTACT WITH LARGE ROCK, PLACING TAIL ROTOR INTO 4 INCH DIAMETER, 3 FOOT PVC PIPE. TAIL ROTOR STRIKE RESULTED IN A CRASH AND AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.