What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Local medical evacuation flight was dispatched to unprepared remote landing site for pick up of a patient. Obstructing tall trees bounded the landing zone. As the pilot turned the helicopter during repositioning for touch down, the tail rotor struck the vegetation surrounding the landing area.(-23 amendment) 02-03-04 tail rotor blades were scrapped: "blades are rejected due to delamination beyond serviceable limits". Substantial damage assessed due to manufacturer report and letter from company dated January 20, 2004 (attached). This report upgraded to an accident with consultation with NTSB: privacy data omitted now has assigned accident number FTW04LA069.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) LOCAL MEDICAL EVACUATION FLIGHT WAS DISPATCHED TO UNPREPARED REMOTE LANDING SITE FOR PICK UP OF A PATIENT. OBSTRUCTING TALL TREES BOUNDED THE LANDING ZONE. AS THE PILOT TURNED THE HELICOPTER DURING REPOSITIONING FOR TOUCH DOWN, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE VEGETATION SURROUNDING THE LANDING AREA.(-23 AMENDMENT) 02-03-04 TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE SCRAPPED: "BLADES ARE REJECTED DUE TO DELAMINATION BEYOND SERVICEABLE LIMITS". SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ASSESSED DUE TO MANUFACTURER REPORT AND LETTER FROM COMPANY DATED JANUARY 20, 2004 (ATTACHED). THIS REPORT UPGRADED TO AN ACCIDENT WITH CONSULTATION WITH NTSB: ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ NOW HAS ASSIGNED ACCIDENT NUMBER FTW04LA069.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.