What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During air surveillance for the Alabama department of public safety, the pilot attempted a right turn maneuver with a tailwind, rotorcraft made an uncommanded turn to right losing tailrotor effectiveness. Pilot performed flight control inputs to correct but failed to correct in time. Pilot stated he had positive continuity of flight controls during attempted recovery of rotorcraft. Rotorcraft continued turning to the right descending to ground and struck tree and brush on hill below, then rolled over on side. After crash pilot shut down engine. No injuries or fatality reported.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING AIR SURVEILLANCE FOR THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RIGHT TURN MANEUVER WITH A TAILWIND, ROTORCRAFT MADE AN UNCOMMANDED TURN TO RIGHT LOSING TAILROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. PILOT PERFORMED FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS TO CORRECT BUT FAILED TO CORRECT IN TIME. PILOT STATED HE HAD POSITIVE CONTINUITY OF FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING ATTEMPTED RECOVERY OF ROTORCRAFT. ROTORCRAFT CONTINUED TURNING TO THE RIGHT DESCENDING TO GROUND AND STRUCK TREE AND BRUSH ON HILL BELOW, THEN ROLLED OVER ON SIDE. AFTER CRASH PILOT SHUT DOWN ENGINE. NO INJURIES OR FATALITY REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.