What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot reported he was repositioning the aircraft for departure after completing a ground refueling operation when the rear skid support inadvertently made contact with the ground. The aircraft began to vibrate prior to resonating, which resulted in a hard impact with the ground causing structural damage to the boom. On investigating damage to the aircraft, the fiberglass starflex spar on the "blue band" main rotor blade was broken into, possibly as a result to a hard landing. Based on conversations with the PIC, we know the helicopter was in ground resonance effect before the hard impact landing. There was one passenger, in addition to the pilot onboard, with no injuries reported. Note: see pilot's written statement attached.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT REPORTED HE WAS REPOSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT FOR DEPARTURE AFTER COMPLETING A GROUND REFUELING OPERATION WHEN THE REAR SKID SUPPORT INADVERTENTLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE PRIOR TO RESONATING, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD IMPACT WITH THE GROUND CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE BOOM. ON INVESTIGATING DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, THE FIBERGLASS STARFLEX SPAR ON THE "BLUE BAND" MAIN ROTOR BLADE WAS BROKEN INTO, POSSIBLY AS A RESULT TO A HARD LANDING. BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PIC, WE KNOW THE HELICOPTER WAS IN GROUND RESONANCE EFFECT BEFORE THE HARD IMPACT LANDING. THERE WAS ONE PASSENGER, IN ADDITION TO THE PILOT ONBOARD, WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED. NOTE: SEE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT ATTACHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.