What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Flight departed marfa municipal airport, marfa, Texas, at 7:45 a.m. for the purpose of reviewing ranch boundaries and/or real estate. The helicopter landed at a remote location, a clearing in mountainous terrain near the bottom of the canyon where two creeks converged. During take off from this site, the helicopter lifted off and turned downwind because of terrain and tried to transition to forward flight. Passengers stated that the aircraft dipped up and down a couple of times, appeared to be unable to clear the trees at the end of the clearing, struck trees with the main rotor blades, lost control and came to rest partially submerged in the creek. The tailboom was torn from the fuselage and the aircraft was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FLIGHT DEPARTED MARFA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, MARFA, TEXAS, AT 7:45 A.M. FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVIEWING RANCH BOUNDARIES AND/OR REAL ESTATE. THE HELICOPTER LANDED AT A REMOTE LOCATION, A CLEARING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON WHERE TWO CREEKS CONVERGED. DURING TAKE OFF FROM THIS SITE, THE HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF AND TURNED DOWNWIND BECAUSE OF TERRAIN AND TRIED TO TRANSITION TO FORWARD FLIGHT. PASSENGERS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DIPPED UP AND DOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES, APPEARED TO BE UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES AT THE END OF THE CLEARING, STRUCK TREES WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, LOST CONTROL AND CAME TO REST PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN THE CREEK. THE TAILBOOM WAS TORN FROM THE FUSELAGE AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.