What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Local photo flight with pilot and two passengers. Pilot was in 300 foot high-hover over wooded area adjacent to building construction site. Pilot stated that aircraft was moving approximately 10 knots gs on a west heading and that winds were out of the ssw at 14-16 knots gust 22 when pilot encountered right turning tendency associated with loss of tailrotor effectiveness. Pilot stated aircraft made 3 turns before recovery at approximately 100 feet over a clearing. Pilot attempted landing in a small clearing in wooded area but struck trees during descent causing substantial damage to aircraft. Pilot and front seat passenger sustained very minor injuries. Rear seat passenger was uninjured. No injuries to any other person or damage to property on the surface occurred. No mechanical failure of aircraft found to have initiated event.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) LOCAL PHOTO FLIGHT WITH PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS. PILOT WAS IN 300 FOOT HIGH-HOVER OVER WOODED AREA ADJACENT TO BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SITE. PILOT STATED THAT AIRCRAFT WAS MOVING APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS GS ON A WEST HEADING AND THAT WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SSW AT 14-16 KNOTS GUST 22 WHEN PILOT ENCOUNTERED RIGHT TURNING TENDENCY ASSOCIATED WITH LOSS OF TAILROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. PILOT STATED AIRCRAFT MADE 3 TURNS BEFORE RECOVERY AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET OVER A CLEARING. PILOT ATTEMPTED LANDING IN A SMALL CLEARING IN WOODED AREA BUT STRUCK TREES DURING DESCENT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. PILOT AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED VERY MINOR INJURIES. REAR SEAT PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED. NO INJURIES TO ANY OTHER PERSON OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY ON THE SURFACE OCCURRED. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OF AIRCRAFT FOUND TO HAVE INITIATED EVENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.