What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Helicopter was dispatched to rescue an injured person at Jacob Lake, Arizona. Pilot obtained weather and loading information prior to starting the flight to Jacob Lake. The pilot did not land at the designated spot, but chose an alternate spot to land (which the pilot said was a safer landing and takeoff area). The injured person was loaded onto the aircraft. The pilot then attempted to takeoff, encountered a variable wind (wind shifted during takeoff), which caused loss of tail rotor effectiveness. The pilot forced landed the helicopter in a wooded area right next to a access road. Only minor injuries were reported.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)HELICOPTER WAS DISPATCHED TO RESCUE AN INJURED PERSON AT JACOB LAKE, ARIZONA. PILOT OBTAINED WEATHER AND LOADING INFORMATION PRIOR TO STARTING THE FLIGHT TO JACOB LAKE. THE PILOT DID NOT LAND AT THE DESIGNATED SPOT, BUT CHOSE AN ALTERNATE SPOT TO LAND (WHICH THE PILOT SAID WAS A SAFER LANDING AND TAKEOFF AREA). THE INJURED PERSON WAS LOADED ONTO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF, ENCOUNTERED A VARIABLE WIND (WIND SHIFTED DURING TAKEOFF), WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. THE PILOT FORCED LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN A WOODED AREA RIGHT NEXT TO A ACCESS ROAD. ONLY MINOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.