What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At 1100 EST during aerial application the helicopter crashed into a marsh near the matansas waterway. The PIC sustained fatal injury and the helicopter was destroyed. NTSB and FAA investigation revealed the tail rotor gear box broke loose in flight from the lower tail boom attach point, cutting through the horizontal stabilizer and shifting the center of gravity forward and causing a subsequent loss of control. Evidence of a crack was found with paint in it (last painted 1995) in the casting at the lower tail boom to tail rotor gear box attach point. Four separate witnesses advised NTSB and FAA investigators that the PIC landed hard on the tail rotor stinger within days preceding the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT 1100 EST DURING AERIAL APPLICATION THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO A MARSH NEAR THE MATANSAS WATERWAY. THE PIC SUSTAINED FATAL INJURY AND THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED. NTSB AND FAA INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX BROKE LOOSE IN FLIGHT FROM THE LOWER TAIL BOOM ATTACH POINT, CUTTING THROUGH THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND SHIFTING THE CENTER OF GRAVITY FORWARD AND CAUSING A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL. EVIDENCE OF A CRACK WAS FOUND WITH PAINT IN IT (LAST PAINTED 1995) IN THE CASTING AT THE LOWER TAIL BOOM TO TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX ATTACH POINT. FOUR SEPARATE WITNESSES ADVISED NTSB AND FAA INVESTIGATORS THAT THE PIC LANDED HARD ON THE TAIL ROTOR STINGER WITHIN DAYS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.