What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 21, 2002, at approximately 0515 while engaged in helicopter logging operations, N114DR a garlick UH-1H crashed with fatal injuries to the pilot. The pilot had just dropped a log at the log deck and was approximately 250 feet in the air climbing vertically with little forward airspeed. Ground personnel reported hearing a loud explosion type noise and seeing debris flying from the aircraft. The aircraft appeared to make a small left hand turn and descended into the trees. When ground personnel arrived at the crash site, the engine was still running, no fire was involved, and the pilot was dead.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 21, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 0515 WHILE ENGAGED IN HELICOPTER LOGGING OPERATIONS, N114DR A GARLICK UH-1H CRASHED WITH FATAL INJURIES TO THE PILOT. THE PILOT HAD JUST DROPPED A LOG AT THE LOG DECK AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET IN THE AIR CLIMBING VERTICALLY WITH LITTLE FORWARD AIRSPEED. GROUND PERSONNEL REPORTED HEARING A LOUD EXPLOSION TYPE NOISE AND SEEING DEBRIS FLYING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO MAKE A SMALL LEFT HAND TURN AND DESCENDED INTO THE TREES. WHEN GROUND PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT THE CRASH SITE, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, NO FIRE WAS INVOLVED, AND THE PILOT WAS DEAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.