What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On may 18, 2002, at 1449 mountain daylight time, a Bell 206L-1, N3894Q, operated by classic helicopters, inc., of woods cross, Utah, was destroyed when it collided with trees during takeoff from a mountain top 3 miles east-southeast of Salem, Utah. The commercial pilot was seriously injured, and two passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the on-demand, non-scheduled domestic passenger flight being operated under title 14 CFR part 135. The flight originated in bountiful, Utah, at an undetermined time. Preliminary information indicates the helicopter had been chartered by at&t to transport personnel to remote repeater sites. It was lifting off from one such site when it began turning to the right. The pilot applied left pedal but the helicopter struck trees. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot told him he had lost tail rotor effectiveness. (-23) on takeoff from a landing pad at a remote mountain top site, the pilot lost tail rotor effectiveness and descended into trees.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON MAY 18, 2002, AT 1449 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206L-1, N3894Q, OPERATED BY CLASSIC HELICOPTERS, INC., OF WOODS CROSS, UTAH, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING TAKEOFF FROM A MOUNTAIN TOP 3 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF SALEM, UTAH. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE ON-DEMAND, NON-SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT BEING OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN BOUNTIFUL, UTAH, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATES THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN CHARTERED BY AT&T TO TRANSPORT PERSONNEL TO REMOTE REPEATER SITES. IT WAS LIFTING OFF FROM ONE SUCH SITE WHEN IT BEGAN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT PEDAL BUT THE HELICOPTER STRUCK TREES. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT TOLD HIM HE HAD LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. (-23) ON TAKEOFF FROM A LANDING PAD AT A REMOTE MOUNTAIN TOP SITE, THE PILOT LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AND DESCENDED INTO TREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.