What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While attempting to takeoff up slope from a glacier, the pilot realized too late that the right skid was not breaking free from the icy surface. He attempted to reduce the collective and apply cyclic when the right skid broke free. The helicopter rolled left contacting the left skid and the rotor blades with the ice, pitching the helicopter forward upside down and coming to rest on its right side in an inverted attitude. The winds were variable at the time up to 20 knots. The pilot believes the winds at takeoff were off the nose at the 10 o'clock position. The pilot shut the engine off and assisted passengers out of the helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF UP SLOPE FROM A GLACIER, THE PILOT REALIZED TOO LATE THAT THE RIGHT SKID WAS NOT BREAKING FREE FROM THE ICY SURFACE. HE ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE THE COLLECTIVE AND APPLY CYCLIC WHEN THE RIGHT SKID BROKE FREE. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED LEFT CONTACTING THE LEFT SKID AND THE ROTOR BLADES WITH THE ICE, PITCHING THE HELICOPTER FORWARD UPSIDE DOWN AND COMING TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE WINDS WERE VARIABLE AT THE TIME UP TO 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT BELIEVES THE WINDS AT TAKEOFF WERE OFF THE NOSE AT THE 10 O'CLOCK POSITION. THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND ASSISTED PASSENGERS OUT OF THE HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N197EH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.