What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 12/10/00 at 1400 hours, while lifting the helicopter off ground, with a little left cyclic to move away from building, a gust of wind turned the tail to the left and pushing down more on the left gear. Pilot could not get the a/c up in time to keep it from rolling over. (.19) on December 10, 2000, about 1400 pacific standard time, a Kaman K-1200, N317KA, sustained substantial damage subsequent ot a dynamic rollover while maneuvering at the Prineville Airport (S39), Prineville, Oregon. The helicopter is registered to aircraft interests, inc, and operated by grizzly mountain aviation of Prineville, Oregon. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under title 14 CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the helicopter, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. There was no fire and no report of EST activation. The pilot reported that while maneuvering for departure, the helicopter began to drift to the left. While attempting to correct the situation, the helicopter's left main landing gear strut collapsed and the helicopter s ubsequently rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damaage to the fuselage, tail boom and rotor blades. The 1356 METAR observation at redmond, Oregon (11 miles southwest of the accident location) reported winds from 310 degrees at 17 knosts gusting to 21 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures that contributed to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 12/10/00 AT 1400 HOURS, WHILE LIFTING THE HELICOPTER OFF GROUND, WITH A LITTLE LEFT CYCLIC TO MOVE AWAY FROM BUILDING, A GUST OF WIND TURNED THE TAIL TO THE LEFT AND PUSHING DOWN MORE ON THE LEFT GEAR. PILOT COULD NOT GET THE A/C UP IN TIME TO KEEP IT FROM ROLLING OVER. (.19) ON DECEMBER 10, 2000, ABOUT 1400 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A KAMAN K-1200, N317KA, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE SUBSEQUENT OT A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER WHILE MANEUVERING AT THE PRINEVILLE AIRPORT (S39), PRINEVILLE, OREGON. THE HELICOPTER IS REGISTERED TO AIRCRAFT INTERESTS, INC, AND OPERATED BY GRIZZLY MOUNTAIN AVIATION OF PRINEVILLE, OREGON. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) POSITIONING FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO REPORT OF EST ACTIVATION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE MANEUVERING FOR DEPARTURE, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, THE HELICOPTER'S LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT COLLAPSED AND THE HELICOPTER S UBSEQUENTLY ROLLED OVER. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, TAIL BOOM AND ROTOR BLADES. THE 1356 METAR OBSERVATION AT REDMOND, OREGON (11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT LOCATION) REPORTED WINDS FROM 310 DEGREES AT 17 KNOSTS GUSTING TO 21 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL FAILURES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.