What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was careful to check his power in an out of ground effect hover before he landed at a remote mountain site to pick up a medical evacuation patient. He stated that he used 80 percent power to hover. While loading his patient, he figured he burned over 200 pounds of fuel and the patient was 180 pounds. The wind was calm at the time he lifted off but he was surrounded by high trees. When he lifted off, just as he cleared the trees, he felt the aircraft settle and he noticed he did not have enough power to climb out of the area. He landed back at the original site but did not see a boulder sticking out of the ground the left skid hit the boulder. Damage occurred to the left skid and cross tube. The helicopter rotated around and the tail rotor struck a one inch diameter tree limb with only one of the blades. The pilot suspected he encountered wind shear as he cleared the tree line on departure.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS CAREFUL TO CHECK HIS POWER IN AN OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HOVER BEFORE HE LANDED AT A REMOTE MOUNTAIN SITE TO PICK UP A MEDICAL EVACUATION PATIENT. HE STATED THAT HE USED 80 PERCENT POWER TO HOVER. WHILE LOADING HIS PATIENT, HE FIGURED HE BURNED OVER 200 POUNDS OF FUEL AND THE PATIENT WAS 180 POUNDS. THE WIND WAS CALM AT THE TIME HE LIFTED OFF BUT HE WAS SURROUNDED BY HIGH TREES. WHEN HE LIFTED OFF, JUST AS HE CLEARED THE TREES, HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT SETTLE AND HE NOTICED HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO CLIMB OUT OF THE AREA. HE LANDED BACK AT THE ORIGINAL SITE BUT DID NOT SEE A BOULDER STICKING OUT OF THE GROUND THE LEFT SKID HIT THE BOULDER. DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE LEFT SKID AND CROSS TUBE. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED AROUND AND THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A ONE INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMB WITH ONLY ONE OF THE BLADES. THE PILOT SUSPECTED HE ENCOUNTERED WIND SHEAR AS HE CLEARED THE TREE LINE ON DEPARTURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N277LF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.