What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 16, 2002, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, N7183Z, sustained substantial damage while maneuvering about 23 miles north of Nome, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated by bering air inc. of Nome, as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Nome Airport about 0900, and was conducting reindeer herding operations. During a telephone conversation with the national transportation safety board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (iic), on July 16, the pilot said he was at a low altitude herding reindeer, and turned downwind. He said as he turned downwind the helicopter started to descend, and he attempted to stop the descent by adding power. He said the helicopter inadvertently landed hard. He said during the hard landing the main rotor chopped off the tail boom, and then the helicopter rocked forward and rolled downhill onto its left side. The pilot said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident. (-23) while maneuvering in a turn, aircraft settled to the ground with power on. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 16, 2002, ABOUT 1300 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER, N7183Z, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE MANEUVERING ABOUT 23 MILES NORTH OF NOME, ALASKA. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED BY BERING AIR INC. OF NOME, AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE NOME AIRPORT ABOUT 0900, AND WAS CONDUCTING REINDEER HERDING OPERATIONS. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON JULY 16, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS AT A LOW ALTITUDE HERDING REINDEER, AND TURNED DOWNWIND. HE SAID AS HE TURNED DOWNWIND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO DESCEND, AND HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE DESCENT BY ADDING POWER. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER INADVERTENTLY LANDED HARD. HE SAID DURING THE HARD LANDING THE MAIN ROTOR CHOPPED OFF THE TAIL BOOM, AND THEN THE HELICOPTER ROCKED FORWARD AND ROLLED DOWNHILL ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT SAID THERE WERE NO KNOWN MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23) WHILE MANEUVERING IN A TURN, AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND WITH POWER ON. ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.