What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 17, 1999, approximately 1155 mountain standard time, an aerospatiale SA341G (gazelle) helicopter, N341G, was substantially damaged following impact with terrain while hovering near El Paso, Texas. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant in the helicopter, was not injured. The helicopter was owned by the pilot, and operated by bear helicopters, inc., under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local surveillance flight which originated approximately 1.5 hours before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot said that he was hovering approximately five feet above the ground, and the helicopter performed an adverse right roll while the heading remained unchanged. The main rotor blades contacted the ground and separated from the aircraft. (.4) the pilot said that he saw something on the ground that he wanted to observe. He went into a hover at 5 feet AGL. The pilot said that when he initiated his departure, the helicopter made an uncommanded roll to the right causing the main rotor blades to hit the ground. Postaccident examination and testing of the three main rotor blade servos found no ano malies which might have initiated an uncommanded roll. The helicopter manufacturer's representative said that he had never heard of an uncommanded roll in this model of aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 17, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 1155 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE SA341G (GAZELLE) HELICOPTER, N341G, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH TERRAIN WHILE HOVERING NEAR EL PASO, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT IN THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED BY THE PILOT, AND OPERATED BY BEAR HELICOPTERS, INC., UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL SURVEILLANCE FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 1.5 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS HOVERING APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER PERFORMED AN ADVERSE RIGHT ROLL WHILE THE HEADING REMAINED UNCHANGED. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. (.4) THE PILOT SAID THAT HE SAW SOMETHING ON THE GROUND THAT HE WANTED TO OBSERVE. HE WENT INTO A HOVER AT 5 FEET AGL. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHEN HE INITIATED HIS DEPARTURE, THE HELICOPTER MADE AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO HIT THE GROUND. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION AND TESTING OF THE THREE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SERVOS FOUND NO ANO MALIES WHICH MIGHT HAVE INITIATED AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL. THE HELICOPTER MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL IN THIS MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.