What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On June 16, 2001, about 1415 hours pacific daylight time, a Hughes 369HS, N4467V, operated by trinity helicopters, inc., hayward, California, collided with a tower and crashed about 1.5 miles northeast of moffett field, Mountain View, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the public utility work-related flight performed under 14 CFR part 133. No flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed. The commercial pilot was seriously injured, and the passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated from Mountain View about 1410. According to the pilot, he flew to the tower to pickup a passenger who was performing maintenance on the tower. The pilot placed one skid on the tower and the passenger boarded the helicopter. The wind direction suddenly shifted, and despite the pilot's effort to maintain directional control, the helicopter dynamically rolled over resulting in a main rotor blade striking the tower. Control was lost, and the helicopter fell about 90 feet to the ground. He also stated that prior to experiencing the loss of control, no mechanical malfunctions were experienced. (-23) a pacific gas & electic (pg & e) employee was being transported from one tower to another, upon reaching the next tower the pilot bonded the left skid to the tower and the worker was stepping out. About that time, the wind direction changed from a tial wind to a right cross wind. The pilot was unable even with full deflection of the controls to maintain control of the aircraft. The helicopter continued to roll over towards the tower to the left, went over the top of the tower striking the tower with the main rotor blade, and landed upside down on the opposite side of the tower. Serious injury to the pilot and minor injury to the passenger.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON JUNE 16, 2001, ABOUT 1415 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES 369HS, N4467V, OPERATED BY TRINITY HELICOPTERS, INC., HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA, COLLIDED WITH A TOWER AND CRASHED ABOUT 1.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF MOFFETT FIELD, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY WORK-RELATED FLIGHT PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 133. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW ABOUT 1410. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE FLEW TO THE TOWER TO PICKUP A PASSENGER WHO WAS PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE TOWER. THE PILOT PLACED ONE SKID ON THE TOWER AND THE PASSENGER BOARDED THE HELICOPTER. THE WIND DIRECTION SUDDENLY SHIFTED, AND DESPITE THE PILOT'S EFFORT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE HELICOPTER DYNAMICALLY ROLLED OVER RESULTING IN A MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKING THE TOWER. CONTROL WAS LOST, AND THE HELICOPTER FELL ABOUT 90 FEET TO THE GROUND. HE ALSO STATED THAT PRIOR TO EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF CONTROL, NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE EXPERIENCED. (-23) A PACIFIC GAS & ELECTIC (PG & E) EMPLOYEE WAS BEING TRANSPORTED FROM ONE TOWER TO ANOTHER, UPON REACHING THE NEXT TOWER THE PILOT BONDED THE LEFT SKID TO THE TOWER AND THE WORKER WAS STEPPING OUT. ABOUT THAT TIME, THE WIND DIRECTION CHANGED FROM A TIAL WIND TO A RIGHT CROSS WIND. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE EVEN WITH FULL DEFLECTION OF THE CONTROLS TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO ROLL OVER TOWARDS THE TOWER TO THE LEFT, WENT OVER THE TOP OF THE TOWER STRIKING THE TOWER WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE, AND LANDED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TOWER. SERIOUS INJURY TO THE PILOT AND MINOR INJURY TO THE PASSENGER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.