What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 24, 2004, about 2110 mountain standard time, a Bell 206B, N97AZ, rolled over and collided with the ground while hovering onto a trailer at Mesa, Arizona. Arizona helicopter adventures LLC was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local personal flight originated at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, about 2015. According to preliminary information, the pilot had recently obtained the trailer from a Bell 47 operator, and started practicing landing on it about 1900. He landed next to the trailer for fuel to change the center of gravity and landing attitude. There was a delay getting fuel. At the time of the accident, according to witnesses, it was dark. The pilot had landed on the trailer, but was apparently lifting off again when the helicopter's left rear skid ground handling lug hooked a "d" ring on the trailer. The helicopter rolled to the left. The right door had been removed to facilitate landing on the trailer.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 24, 2004, ABOUT 2110 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206B, N97AZ, ROLLED OVER AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE HOVERING ONTO A TRAILER AT MESA, ARIZONA. ARIZONA HELICOPTER ADVENTURES LLC WAS OPERATING THE HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT FALCON FIELD AIRPORT, MESA, ABOUT 2015. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY OBTAINED THE TRAILER FROM A BELL 47 OPERATOR, AND STARTED PRACTICING LANDING ON IT ABOUT 1900. HE LANDED NEXT TO THE TRAILER FOR FUEL TO CHANGE THE CENTER OF GRAVITY AND LANDING ATTITUDE. THERE WAS A DELAY GETTING FUEL. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, IT WAS DARK. THE PILOT HAD LANDED ON THE TRAILER, BUT WAS APPARENTLY LIFTING OFF AGAIN WHEN THE HELICOPTER'S LEFT REAR SKID GROUND HANDLING LUG HOOKED A "D" RING ON THE TRAILER. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THE RIGHT DOOR HAD BEEN REMOVED TO FACILITATE LANDING ON THE TRAILER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.