What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was hired to hover his heli over cherry trees to dry them off from a recent rain. In the process he stated that he experienced what appeared to be a loss of power. During subsequent investigation he later concluded that he had manuevered the heli into a downwind position and had approached the hovering capability of the heli. He stated that he attempted to manuever out of the orchard but was forced to make an emergency landing between the rows of trees. Damage was limited to the skids, tail rotor & substantial damage to the boom.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS HIRED TO HOVER HIS HELI OVER CHERRY TREES TO DRY THEM OFF FROM A RECENT RAIN. IN THE PROCESS HE STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LOSS OF POWER. DURING SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION HE LATER CONCLUDED THAT HE HAD MANUEVERED THE HELI INTO A DOWNWIND POSITION AND HAD APPROACHED THE HOVERING CAPABILITY OF THE HELI. HE STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO MANUEVER OUT OF THE ORCHARD BUT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING BETWEEN THE ROWS OF TREES. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE SKIDS, TAIL ROTOR & SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BOOM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.