What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Pilot stated: his head set came off in flight, so he landed in a field, upon takeoff the right landing gear skid caught some vines, causing the a/c to roll and main rotor blades to strike the ground. . (.4) on October 17, 2000, about 0800 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22 beta, N621DM, registered to and operated by skycopters incorporated, as a title 14 CFR part 91 aerial observation flight, experienced dynamic rollover during takeoff from a field in Dellwood, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that his headset came off in flight, and he had landed in a field to secure the headset. The pilot further stated that while attempting to takeoff from the field, and upon transitioning from hover to takeoff, the helicopter's right skid became entangled in vines hidden in the undergrowth. The pilot said that the skid's entanglement with the vines while he was attempting the takeoff induced dynamic rollover on to the aircraft's right side. He said tha t when the aircraft rolled over, the main and tail rotor systems separated from the aircraft, and the tail boom broke off. According to the pilot, prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft, or any on its systems.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)PILOT STATED: HIS HEAD SET CAME OFF IN FLIGHT, SO HE LANDED IN A FIELD, UPON TAKEOFF THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR SKID CAUGHT SOME VINES, CAUSING THE A/C TO ROLL AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE GROUND. . (.4) ON OCTOBER 17, 2000, ABOUT 0800 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R-22 BETA, N621DM, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY SKYCOPTERS INCORPORATED, AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER DURING TAKEOFF FROM A FIELD IN DELLWOOD, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS HEADSET CAME OFF IN FLIGHT, AND HE HAD LANDED IN A FIELD TO SECURE THE HEADSET. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM THE FIELD, AND UPON TRANSITIONING FROM HOVER TO TAKEOFF, THE HELICOPTER'S RIGHT SKID BECAME ENTANGLED IN VINES HIDDEN IN THE UNDERGROWTH. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE SKID'S ENTANGLEMENT WITH THE VINES WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING THE TAKEOFF INDUCED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER ON TO THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT SIDE. HE SAID THA T WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER, THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR SYSTEMS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE TAIL BOOM BROKE OFF. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THERE HAD BEEN NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION TO THE AIRCRAFT, OR ANY ON ITS SYSTEMS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.