What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While firefighting in the Tucson, AZ area the pilot had made the sixth (6th) fueling cycle (ea. "Cycle is approx. 1.5 hrs) and were about to depart when the ground crew signaled the pilots to shut down the helicopter. Upon further inspection the crew noticed that the tail rotor blades were damaged, mostly at the tip cap ends. The helicopter during the "cycle" (1.5 hrs) shut-down/insp/refueling/fire-retardent dip was at the "dip-tank" @ sabino canyon. The dip-tank area @ sabino had a couple of mesquite trees of fair size located close to the dip-tank. Also evidence of broken (freshly) branches from these trees was documented. This area is mountainous and the dip tank was located in a foothill canyon. The damaged t/r blades were removed for further insp. @ "erickson air-crane" (FAA crs #JYDR439F). No flt. Crew injuries or major damage to the S-64E incurred.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE FIREFIGHTING IN THE TUCSON, AZ AREA THE PILOT HAD MADE THE SIXTH (6TH) FUELING CYCLE (EA. "CYCLE IS APPROX. 1.5 HRS) AND WERE ABOUT TO DEPART WHEN THE GROUND CREW SIGNALED THE PILOTS TO SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE CREW NOTICED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED, MOSTLY AT THE TIP CAP ENDS. THE HELICOPTER DURING THE "CYCLE" (1.5 HRS) SHUT-DOWN/INSP/REFUELING/FIRE-RETARDENT DIP WAS AT THE "DIP-TANK" @ SABINO CANYON. THE DIP-TANK AREA @ SABINO HAD A COUPLE OF MESQUITE TREES OF FAIR SIZE LOCATED CLOSE TO THE DIP-TANK. ALSO EVIDENCE OF BROKEN (FRESHLY) BRANCHES FROM THESE TREES WAS DOCUMENTED. THIS AREA IS MOUNTAINOUS AND THE DIP TANK WAS LOCATED IN A FOOTHILL CANYON. THE DAMAGED T/R BLADES WERE REMOVED FOR FURTHER INSP. @ "ERICKSON AIR-CRANE" (FAA CRS #JYDR439F). NO FLT. CREW INJURIES OR MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE S-64E INCURRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.