What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot attempted to climb over a row of trees from a forward hover with fully loaded helicopter. Gvl automated METAR reported light winds from the west and a temperature of 79F (density altitude calculated to be 3274 feet). Upon raising the collective the pilot realized that he was not climbing sufficiently and began a quick stop maneuver. The tail rotor became tangled in high grass causing the helicopter to rotate rapidly until the tail boom and main rotor blades contacted the ground. The tail boom was sheared completely off of the helicopter and the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OVER A ROW OF TREES FROM A FORWARD HOVER WITH FULLY LOADED HELICOPTER. GVL AUTOMATED METAR REPORTED LIGHT WINDS FROM THE WEST AND A TEMPERATURE OF 79F (DENSITY ALTITUDE CALCULATED TO BE 3274 FEET). UPON RAISING THE COLLECTIVE THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WAS NOT CLIMBING SUFFICIENTLY AND BEGAN A QUICK STOP MANEUVER. THE TAIL ROTOR BECAME TANGLED IN HIGH GRASS CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROTATE RAPIDLY UNTIL THE TAIL BOOM AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF OF THE HELICOPTER AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.