What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Investigation found the helicopter hit a tree at a high angle of decent in a heavily wooded area. The majority of the aircraft was destroyed by post-crash fire. Witnesses from a hearby golf course stated they looked at the aircraft after they heard an unusual noise. They further stated that something was noted falling off the aircraft before it started to spin, and then the aircraft dropped out of sight behind a wooded area. Investigation at the crash site found the aft portion of the tail boom separated from the aircraft, with evidence of main rotor blade contact with the tail boom. The input quill section of the tail rotor gearbox was still attached to the tailboom. The tail rotor assembly, and aft section of the tail rotor gearbox were not connected to the tail boom (see attached sheet).
As the FAA filed it
(-23)INVESTIGATION FOUND THE HELICOPTER HIT A TREE AT A HIGH ANGLE OF DECENT IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY POST-CRASH FIRE. WITNESSES FROM A HEARBY GOLF COURSE STATED THEY LOOKED AT THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THEY HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT SOMETHING WAS NOTED FALLING OFF THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT STARTED TO SPIN, AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED OUT OF SIGHT BEHIND A WOODED AREA. INVESTIGATION AT THE CRASH SITE FOUND THE AFT PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, WITH EVIDENCE OF MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACT WITH THE TAIL BOOM. THE INPUT QUILL SECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE TAILBOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY, AND AFT SECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WERE NOT CONNECTED TO THE TAIL BOOM (SEE ATTACHED SHEET).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.