What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 3, 1999, approximately 1030 pacific standard time, a Hughes 369E helicopter, N11KV, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after sustaining in-flight damage to the tail rotor while conducting christmas tree external load operations (14 CFR 133) near Salem, Oregon. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. There was no flight plan for the local flight, which was conducted in visual meteorological conditions. There was no report of an ELT actuating. The helicopter was operating with a 25 foot long-line at the time of the accident. The pilot was returning to pick up another load of trees, when he heard a bang and released the cable. He was estimated to be between 30 and 50 feet above ground level at the time. The helicopter made three to five rotations to the right before the pilot was able to land. The pilot stated that he had an immediate loss of tail rotor effectiveness. During the forced landing, the main rotor struck and separated the tail boom. FAA inspectors found evidence of white paint transfer on the long-line cable, and also signatures consistent with cable marks on one of the two separated tail rotor blades. Wit nesses did note that ground fog was forming in the area at the time of the accident. (-23) on 12/23/99 at 104 4 a.m., N11KV, a MD-500-E (Hughes 369E) helicopter piloted by privacy data omittedwas conducting a christmas tree sling load operation at noble mountain tree farm. During the operation, the sling cable struck the tail rotor causing failure of tail rotor gear box and blades. The helicopter lost control and crashed into the side of a hill. The helicopter was operated by pathfinders helicopter, inc., spokane, Washington, a FAR 133 operator (certificate GMUL379E).
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 3, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 1030 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A HUGHES 369E HELICOPTER, N11KV, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER SUSTAINING IN-FLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR WHILE CONDUCTING CHRISTMAS TREE EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS (14 CFR 133) NEAR SALEM, OREGON. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF AN ELT ACTUATING. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING WITH A 25 FOOT LONG-LINE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO PICK UP ANOTHER LOAD OF TREES, WHEN HE HEARD A BANG AND RELEASED THE CABLE. HE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 30 AND 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AT THE TIME. THE HELICOPTER MADE THREE TO FIVE ROTATIONS TO THE RIGHT BEFORE THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK AND SEPARATED THE TAIL BOOM. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND EVIDENCE OF WHITE PAINT TRANSFER ON THE LONG-LINE CABLE, AND ALSO SIGNATURES CONSISTENT WITH CABLE MARKS ON ONE OF THE TWO SEPARATED TAIL ROTOR BLADES. WIT NESSES DID NOTE THAT GROUND FOG WAS FORMING IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23) ON 12/23/99 AT 104 4 A.M., N11KV, A MD-500-E (HUGHES 369E) HELICOPTER PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA O^WAS CONDUCTING A CHRISTMAS TREE SLING LOAD OPERATION AT NOBLE MOUNTAIN TREE FARM. DURING THE OPERATION, THE SLING CABLE STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR CAUSING FAILURE OF TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX AND BLADES. THE HELICOPTER LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A HILL. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED BY PATHFINDERS HELICOPTER, INC., SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, A FAR 133 OPERATOR (CERTIFICATE GMUL379E).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.