What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 23, 2004, at approximately 1605 CDT, a Bell 412 helicopter, N555BA, sustained substantial damage when its tail rotor struck a parked helicopter while hovering prior to takeoff from the university hospital helipad in San Antonio, Texas. The commercial pilot, the flight nurse, and flight paremedic were not injured. The helicopter was registered to air methods, englewood, Colorado, and operated by San Antonio airlife, in San Antonio Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 repositioning flight. The flight was departing at the time of the accident and was destined for new braunfels, Texas. According to the pilot, while in a hover and executing a right pedal turn, the helicopter's tail rotor struck a parked helicopter's main rotor blade. The airborne helicopter began to yaw right and the pilot reduced collective and throttles. The helicopter landed hard on the pad surface.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 23, 2004, AT APPROXIMATELY 1605 CDT, A BELL 412 HELICOPTER, N555BA, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN ITS TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A PARKED HELICOPTER WHILE HOVERING PRIOR TO TAKEOFF FROM THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL HELIPAD IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE FLIGHT NURSE, AND FLIGHT PAREMEDIC WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AIR METHODS, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO, AND OPERATED BY SAN ANTONIO AIRLIFE, IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS DESTINED FOR NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE IN A HOVER AND EXECUTING A RIGHT PEDAL TURN, THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A PARKED HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADE. THE AIRBORNE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO YAW RIGHT AND THE PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE AND THROTTLES. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD ON THE PAD SURFACE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.