What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot attempted landing at heli-ski landing site on mountain face, at approx. 8,300 feet above mean sea level. During landing attempt pilot encountered severe downdraft winds coming down the face of the mountain, lateral to the landing helicopter. Pilot was unable to accomplish the landing and intiated an abort to the landing. During the abort it became evident to the pilot (as a result of the downdrafts) that he would not be able to continue flight away from the mountain. The pilot elected to turn the a/c into the wind, towards the face of the mojntain and attempt a landing on the mountain side with zero or minimal airspeed. After towuchdown, the a/c pitched forward and the rotor struck the mountainside. The helicopter then immediately twisted to the right, and then rolled over on it's right side, ending up nearly upside down.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED LANDING AT HELI-SKI LANDING SITE ON MOUNTAIN FACE, AT APPROX. 8,300 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. DURING LANDING ATTEMPT PILOT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WINDS COMING DOWN THE FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN, LATERAL TO THE LANDING HELICOPTER. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE LANDING AND INTIATED AN ABORT TO THE LANDING. DURING THE ABORT IT BECAME EVIDENT TO THE PILOT (AS A RESULT OF THE DOWNDRAFTS) THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE FLIGHT AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAIN. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TURN THE A/C INTO THE WIND, TOWARDS THE FACE OF THE MOJNTAIN AND ATTEMPT A LANDING ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE WITH ZERO OR MINIMAL AIRSPEED. AFTER TOWUCHDOWN, THE A/C PITCHED FORWARD AND THE ROTOR STRUCK THE MOUNTAINSIDE. THE HELICOPTER THEN IMMEDIATELY TWISTED TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN ROLLED OVER ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE, ENDING UP NEARLY UPSIDE DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.