What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was conducting an FAR part 91 ferry flight from tucson, AZ. To the grand canyon national airport over mountainous terrain. Pilot was crossing a ridgeline at a low altitude when he observed that his flight guide had fallen from the passenger seat to the floor. Upon retrieving the guide, the a/c assumed a nose low attitude which placed the a/c close to trees and terrain. The pilot performed an immediate climbing recovery, although during this recovery process the bottom portion of the vertical fin, and one tail rotor blade received minor damage. A remote landing was performed to determine if any damage had occurred, although the a/c was maintained at flight idle during the inspection. No visible damage was observed and flight was continued to destination. Upon reaching the destination, a/c was shut down and during post flight inspection the minor damage was found.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN FAR PART 91 FERRY FLIGHT FROM TUCSON, AZ. TO THE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL AIRPORT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. PILOT WAS CROSSING A RIDGELINE AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHEN HE OBSERVED THAT HIS FLIGHT GUIDE HAD FALLEN FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE FLOOR. UPON RETRIEVING THE GUIDE, THE A/C ASSUMED A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE WHICH PLACED THE A/C CLOSE TO TREES AND TERRAIN. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN IMMEDIATE CLIMBING RECOVERY, ALTHOUGH DURING THIS RECOVERY PROCESS THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE VERTICAL FIN, AND ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. A REMOTE LANDING WAS PERFORMED TO DETERMINE IF ANY DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED, ALTHOUGH THE A/C WAS MAINTAINED AT FLIGHT IDLE DURING THE INSPECTION. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED AND FLIGHT WAS CONTINUED TO DESTINATION. UPON REACHING THE DESTINATION, A/C WAS SHUT DOWN AND DURING POST FLIGHT INSPECTION THE MINOR DAMAGE WAS FOUND.
Other reports on N3893U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.